


A Perfect Storm

by keeperofstories, queenofday



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Guy Scott, Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Derek Has Feelings, Derek is a Failwolf, Domestic Violence, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Good Guy Derek, Happy Ending, IMO, Kind of Fast Paced, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Shy Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2015-06-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 05:31:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 30,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1053067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keeperofstories/pseuds/keeperofstories, https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenofday/pseuds/queenofday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The first time Derek sees him is on the Subway. </p>
<p>The fifth time Derek spots him, the boy has a split lip and an angry alpha threatening him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(OR: Where Scott is a really bad boyfriend and Derek ends up being Stiles' hero)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was recently made aware of this awesome artwork that was drawn by the amazingly talented *NinaKask*  
> She has so much great work (especially Sterek!) on deviantart so make sure you check her out!!!  
> http://ninakask.deviantart.com/
> 
>  
> 
> Here's the link to the reference piece, if you want to see what Stiles and Derek on the subway looked like:  
> http://ninakask.deviantart.com/art/Teen-Wolf-FanArt-Mr-Scarf-and-I-435203402

The first time Derek sees him is on the Subway.

 

As soon as Derek steps into the subway car he’s hit with the strong scent of fresh coffee grinds, and Derek can’t help but take a deep breath of the intoxicating smell. He’s dead tired, just getting off from work, staying up all night to finish up some paperwork Cora had begged him to do for her. _‘I owe you one, big bro!’_ she had called back as she ran out the door to freedom, apparently she had met some guy at a party and they were going to dinner and maybe a movie.

 

He _wishes_ he had enough free time to see a movie.

 

Derek quickly takes a seat, glad to be out of the cold and tries to figure out where the smell is coming from. He knows that as soon as he gets home, he is going to make a _huge_ pot of coffee and try not to drain it all in one go. Aside from helping Cora with her work, Derek still has an important meeting at 7:00am which, as he looks at his watch, means he only has two hours to get home, shower, attempt to look presentable and be back at the office. If he fucks this up, then Peter is literally going to kill him, or, if he’s feeling charitable, break his arm, which he really doesn’t want.

  


There’s not many people on the subway right now, and it doesn’t take long for Derek to realize that it’s a _guy_ who smells like he rolled around in a pile of coffee beans. He’s sitting two seats across from Derek and he’s quietly humming to himself, pausing every once and a while to check his phone. He has dark circles underneath his eyes, a stark contrast compared to his ivory skin, but he doesn't look a day over twenty.

The man, Derek will admit is definitely his type, _‘Really Derek, you like twinks?’_ Laura had asked him once, and he realized, that yes, he really did.

 

Now that Derek’s seen him, he can’t stop looking at him. He’s bundled up pretty tightly, but beneath his scarf and beanie Derek catches sight of long eyelashes and plump lips and messy chestnut locks. Derek closes his eyes briefly, imagining peeling every layer off the boy and seeing what he really looks like, seeing if it’s just his clothes that smell like coffee or if the smell is skin deep.

 

The train lurches to a stop and he opens his eyes, he sees the guy getting up and walking towards him. The boy looks at him and they make eye contact for a brief second before Derek looks away.

 

The boy walks through the doors and onto the platform, quickly lost in the hustle and bustle of the city and its inhabitants. The doors close shortly after and the subway continues on its way.

  
  


A week pases by and Derek forgets about the boy on the subway.

 

 

 

* * *

 

It’s almost a month later when Derek spots him again.

 

Actually, it’s Laura that spots him first. They’re on the subway, and it’s so packed Derek doesn’t understand how she even spotted him in the first place. It’s rush hour, everyone is glad to be off of work and on the way home. Laura had decided to take him out to dinner to catch up and see what’s been going on in their respective lives, or in Derek’s case, be harassed by his older sister for being such a loser.

 

She’s still poking fun at him as more people crowd onto the car and that when she jabs him, _hard_ , in the ribs. His eyes involuntarily flash yellow, but Laura just rolls her eyes.

 

“What they hell was that for?” He half growls.

 

“Cute twink, at your two” she says with a smug smirk.

 

Derek, being the suave wolf he is, almost snaps his neck from turning his head so fast. Laura laughs, loud, if he must add, which catches the attention of people near them, and lo and behold, one of them is coffee boy.

 

They make eye contact, _again_ , and this time the boy smiles at him, small and warm, his eyes crinkling around the edges. Derek doesn’t know what to do, he feels his cheeks warm up and he attempts to smile back, but it feels more like a grimace. Embarrassed, he quickly looks down at his shoes, internally rolling his eyes at his overall loserness and failure at human interaction.

 

“Oh my god, Derek” she says to him, “What was _that_?”

 

“What are you talking about?” He says, looking everywhere except Laura, “It was nothing.”

 

“Do you know him?” She gasps quietly, and whispers, “Have you two fucked?”

 

“What?! No,” He scoffs, “I don’t even know him.” That doesn’t really count as a lie, right? It’s not like Derek actually _knows_ the guy, he’s just some guy that Derek’s seen before, and maybe wants to kiss. That’s it.

 

“You’re lying!” She squeals, “What’s his name? I want to know everything!”

 

“Laura!” He blurts, “I don’t know him, ok? I’ve seen him once before, that’s all”

 

“Oh” Laura mumbles deflated, “You think he’s cute though, huh?”

 

“I guess,” Derek replies nonchalantly, “Yeah.”

 

“..But you don’t know his name?” She says, an evil twinkle in her eye.

 

“What are you getting at, Laura?”

 

“Just answer the question, killjoy.” She says testily.

 

“No. I don't” he says, still not sure what her endgame is.

 

“Thought so,” She says walking away from him, and towards coffee boy.

 

Derek whisper-shouts her name in attempt to get her to stop whatever she’s planning on doing, but she ignores him, squeezing her way through the throng of people, all the way until she’s standing right in front of the guy and Derek feels all the blood rush to his cheeks, because seriously, what the hell is she doing? He drops his head to the ground and hones in his hearing, making sure he hears everything she says.

 

“Um,” The boy starts awkwardly, “Hi?”

 

“Yeah, hi!” she says with an award winning smile, “I absolutely  _adore_  your scarf, where did you get it?”

 

“Oh,” coffee boy says, confused, “I bought it from H&M. It was on sale.”

 

“Cool, I love the color,” She gushes, “I think it would look so cute on my brother, what do you think?” She asks, and Derek can’t help but look up, and yep, they’re both staring at him. He wishes the ground would open up and swallow him right now.

 

Laura gives him a cheeky little wave and Derek can’t help but notice the blush that stains the boys cheeks as they stare at each other.

 

“Yeah,” the boys replies in a daze, “I think it’d look good on him.”

 

“Oh!” She says sarchine sweet, snapping her finger “I forgot to ask for your name, how rude of me!”

 

“It’s Stiles,” The boy, _Stiles_ , answers, “It’s a nickname. My real name is too hard to pronounce, so people, er, they just call me Stiles” he finishes lamely, and bless, he’s so cute Derek can’t help but smile a little.

 

“Right, well, I’m Laura, and my brother’s, “she makes sure to point right at him, “ name is Derek. It was nice to meet you Stiles, and seriously, love the scarf. Maybe I’ll get Derek one and you two can match” she tells him with a small laugh.

 

The train slows down, signaling that they’re approaching a station, and fuck, as soon as the car stops he is jumping off and never looking back.

 

“Yeah,” Stiles replies, “Sure.”

 

The train makes a full stop and the doors slowly slide open. He doesn’t look back as he gets off the platform until he’s pulled to a stop by someone holding onto the back of his jacket.

 

“Wait up, loser” Laura says with a huge smile.

 

“I hate you,” he whines as he turns around, “I really, really hate you.”

 

Behind her, the subway car begins to pull away, and through the mob of people Derek and Stiles see each other, Stiles offers him a smile and a tiny wave, which Derek obviously reciprocates, blushing fiercely. God, why does he feel like he’s back in middle school again?

 

“No you don’t” Laura says quietly, more to herself. Pulling Derek with her out of the crowded metro station. She hasn’t seen Derek blush since fifth grade, and she can’t help but coo on the inside at Derek and his new little crush.

 

“I am telling mom, by the way.” She states, matter-a-factly, walking away from her failwolf of a brother. She internally snickers as she pictures the look of horror on his face, she bets it’s positively priceless.

 

“Laura!”

 

This time she can’t help but cackle out loud.

 

* * *

 

It’s 7:18pm  and Derek is just leaving the office, and while Derek loves his job and working with his family, after a while it doesn’t wear him down. He’s tired down to the bones, and he just wants to make it home and sleep for a week straight. He’s almost tempted to do just that, be he’s already promised Erica and Isaac that he would take them out for drinks.

 

They’ve planned to meet at _Prowl_ , one of the newer nightclubs downtown. He quickly makes his way down to the subway, stepping into the car just before the doors close. He sits on one of the empty benches and pulls out his phone, checking for any messages or calls.

 

Three texts, and they’re all from Laura.

The first one reads, _‘You didn’t invite me and Cora to drinks? Rude.’_

Then, _'We took the liberty of inviting ourselves. Don’t worry, Erica gave us the time & place(;'_

Finally, _'Also, you’re paying for us too. Love you, Der!’_

 

Derek can’t keep from rolling his eyes, he swears, his sisters are such busybodies. He slips his phone back into his pocket without replying.

 

He looks around the semi-crowded car and internally frowns when he doesn’t see any cute boys who smell like coffee and have weird names.

 

It’s been almost three weeks since he’s seen Stiles, and believe you me, he’s been on the look out. Derek would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little disappointed that he hasn’t had the chance to even talk to Stiles, but he’s tried to keep it off his mind, besides, it’s not like he really knew the guy.

 

Even though he really, really wanted to get to know him, and what he looked like naked.

 

The train begins to slow down and Derek wearily gets up, getting off the subway as soon as the doors open. He makes his way towards his apartment, mentally preparing himself for whatever craziness the night has to offer.

 

* * *

The club is hot and crowded, as most clubs are. The bass from the music reverberating through his bones; around him, Erica, Isaac, Boyd, Laura, and Cora  _(Let’s call them the pack, shall we?)_ deftly make it upstairs to an empty booth, making small talk as they wait for someone to take their order.

 

The club is a lot different than Derek thought it would be, it’s actually pretty nice. The entire first floor is the dance floor, packed with sweaty, horny bodies and the DJ blasting loud, techno-pop music. The scene is much different, though, as you make your way up to the second floor. The atmosphere is a bit more relaxed; booths and tables spread out everywhere, and the music isn’t as deafening, which is good for the pack’s sensitive hearing.

 

“So, this is nice” Erica comments, scanning the room.

 

“I like it,” Cora adds, “There’s so many cute guys.”

 

“What about that guy you were seeing?” Derek asks.

 

Cora rolls her eyes, “Total dud.”

Derek opens his mouth to ask her what she means by that, but he’s interrupted by the waitress.

 

“Hi guys, I’m Lydia, what can I get for you, tonight?” asks the petite redhead, Lydia, pen and tab in hand, “We have an amazing deal tonight, buy the bottle and get a round of shots free.”

 

“That actually sounds great! Give us a bottle of Absolut.” Laura blurts, sparkles in her eyes, and Derek internally groans, because he knows that look, it’s the look Laura gets when she want to get into somebody’s pants.

 

Lydia beams at her, “Sounds good. Laced with wolfsbane, yes or no?”

 

“Yes!” they all reply, and Lydia quickly scribbles on her tab, smile on her face.

 

“It’ll be right out!” She shouts behind her, already walking back to the bar.

 

It’s only five minutes before the bottle is sent to their table, and they make quick work of that between the six of them.

 

Derek can already feel the buzz of the alcohol hitting him, it’s pleasant, he can feel his muscles relaxing, not as tense as they were when he first walking into the club.

 

The shattering of glass against the floor is loud to his ears, everyone turning to see what happened.

 

And wouldn’t you know, standing there is the one and only, Stiles.

 

Derek didn’t even realize the kid was here. He blames the booze. Laura jabs him in the side multiple times, _“It’s Stiles!”_

 

“Who’s Stiles?” Isaac asks

 

“Derek’s boyfriend” Laura coos.

 

Erica punches him, “You have a boyfriend?!”

 

“She’s just kidding, he’s just an… acquaintance” Derek replies.

 

“That you wish was your boyfriend.” Cora adds.

 

“Would you guys shut up? This is why Boyd is my favorite.” Derek reprimands, turning back to Stiles.

 

There’s a large man holding him by the wrist, and now that Derek’s paying attention, he notices that something isn’t right.

 

He can’t hear what’s being said over the music but lord knows he’s trying, by some type of miracle he catches what their saying, barely.

 

“It was an accident.” Stiles says.

The man’s eye flashing bright red is obvious in the dim light of the night club, and surprisingly Stiles doesn't even seem phased by it. The guy still has a hold of Stiles’ wrist, pulling him closer.

 

“Well sorry don’t cut it, boy,” The guy licks his lips suggestively, “ But I think I know a way you can pay me back”

 

Stiles struggles to pull his arm back. Derek feels his hackles rising, and he doesn't even realize that he’s standing up until Cora grabs his arm to stop him.

 

“Fuck. You,” Stiles spits, attempting to yank his arm free.

 

“That could be arranged, sweetheart.”

 

Derek is ready to spring into action, but he’s saved from doing anything stupid when Lydia comes up behind the alpha, grabbing him by his collar, flicking him on the nose.

 

He releases Stiles’ arm, and the boy nearly stumbles backwards onto his ass.

 

“If you’re going to act like a dog, then I’m going to treat you like one,” Lydia tells him, “So I suggest you pay your tab a leave, immediately, before I kick your ass.”

 

She may be tiny, but she’s also weirdly terrifying, and apparently the alpha thinks so as well. He nods his head and she pushes him away, watching as he pays and leaves, but not before giving Stiles a lewd once over.

 

The feisty redhead walks over to Stiles, “You alright?” Shes asks him.

 

He gives her a small smile, “I’m fine, just some asshole who thinks he’s tough ‘cause he’s an alpha”

 

“Yeah, well,” She pauses. “How bout we switch sides, I’ll take the alphas and you take the bigger groups, sound good?”

 

“Yeah,” He replies, she runs her hand over his back, comfortingly.

 

As the small scene dies down, everyone goes back to talking and getting drunk, but Derek’s eyes are still glued to Stiles.

 

“Did you hear that?” Isaac asks conspiratorially .

 

“What?” Derek asks confused.

 

“He knows about us,” At everyone’s confused looks, he continues, “That means you have a chance, Der!”

 

Derek rolls his eyes, about to tell Isaac what an absolute idiot he is, but he’s jabbed in the fucking ribs, again.

 

“What, Laura?” He half shouts.

 

The table grows quiet and he now realizes why.

 

Stiles is standing there, a big, friendly smile on his face and a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

 

“Uh,” He starts, turning to Laura, “I’ve remember you guys. Laura right?”

 

“Yeah!," She chirps happily. "From the subway.”

 

Then Stiles turns to Derek and fuck, is it hot in here?

  
“And you’re Derek..” He smiles shyly.

 

Derek just nods his head like an imbecile, opting to just stare at the boy he saw on the subway who smells amazing.

 

Erica coughs loudly, which, _rude_ , interrupting the moment. Stiles blushes, looking to the table in general, “Oh. Sorry, I’m guessing you guys want drinks?”

 

“Oh, honey,” She smiles, “We've had drinks and shots already, but Derek here was wondering if he could get your number along with the tab.”

 

Derek’s jaw almost drops, his eyes going big as he looks towards Erica, then quickly to Stiles.

 

The boy in question looks taken aback at her forwardness, and blushes.

 

“Uhm,” Stiles says looking at all of them, Derek can hear his heart beat accelerate, “Okay.”

 

That earns a giant cheer from his pack, and he feels his own cheeks heat up. Seriously, he must’ve done something really bad in a past life or something. Apparently drunk people follow the mantra of ‘monkey see, monkey do', because as soon as the pack cheers, everyone else in the area does it as well. Soon the whole place is full of drunk idiots cheering loudly.

 

He would be mad at all of them, but he does end up getting Stiles’ number at the end of the night.

 

Derek doesn’t stop smiling as they make their way home.

 


	2. Chapter Two

Derek stares at the bright screen of his phone, trouble and distress written all over his face as his fingers hover over the touch screen, uncertain of what to do.

 

He’s finally got Stiles number, but he doesn’t know what to actually do with it.

 

Should he text or call? He’s been debating this for almost two days now, he’s leaning towards just texting Stiles, maybe asking what he’s up to, but that seems kind of lame. He clicks his phone off and throws it onto his bed, it’s only ten seconds before he quickly goes over and snatches it up, he unlocks it, sighing heavily.

 

Derek doesn’t know what to write. Fuck, this is so stupid, he feels like a schoolgirl fawning over her crush. He falls backwards into the bed and closes his eyes. The weight of the phone heavy in the palm of his hand.

 

He can hear the sound of keys jingling and the front door opening.

 

“Derek! Come help us with the groceries!” Laura wails from downstairs.

 

He groans and rolls off the bed,slipping his phone into his back pocket and quickly making his way down to the kitchen, where he’s greeted by his sisters. The counter is littered with brown paper bags, filled to the brim with assorted items.

 

“What exactly do you need help with?” he asks annoyed, looking at the girls.

 

“Don’t be so rude, Der,” Laura says, “We brought the food, therefore you put it away.”

 

He rolls his eyes but starts grabbing products out of their bags and putting them where they belong.

 

“Aw,” Cora coos, “Such a good boy!”

 

“Fuck you.” He mumbles, he has a loaf of bread in his hands, and instead of putting it into the pantry he swiftly turns around and throws it in their general direction.

 

Not expecting the attack, neither of them has time to react and it ends up smacking Laura right in the head. The bread seems to fall to the floor in slow motion, hitting the floor with a pathetic thud.

 

Derek slowly looks up from the floor and finds his sister’s glaring daggers at him, he swallows the lump in his throat as Laura’s eyes blaze a vivid yellow.

 

He makes a run for it, taking the stairs two at a time, running towards his room at full speed. As soon as his fingers touch the doorknob he’s tackled from behind. He lands on his stomach, the wind knocked out of his lungs, his arms held behind his back at an uncomfortable angle.

 

“That hurts!” He whines.

 

“It hurt when that bread hit me, _Derek_.” Laura tells him with a smirk.

 

“You’re such a liar,” He grumbles, “I was trying to hit Cora.”

 

“Rude.” he hears from behind him.

 

“It hurt me, emotionally,” Laura adds, “And I think it’s only fair that you feel that pain too, bro.”

 

“Laura,” He moans, “I’m gonna tell mom!”

 

“Great idea,” She pauses, an evil sparkle in her eye, “I’ll tell mom how my brother brutally attacked me!”

 

“You’re such a drama queen.” Cora laughs at the same time Derek responds with, “It was just bread!”

 

He feels his phone being slipped from his pocket, he trashes beneath Cora and sends her backwards onto her butt.

 

Derek jumps to his feet, but Laura already has his phone unlocked.

 

“What are you doing?” He growls, “Give my phone back!”

 

“Fine.” She says with a small smile, “Give me a minute.”

 

She’s doing _something_ , and he the fact that he doesn't know what Laura is doing is making him anxious.

 

She throws the phone at him and he barely catches it, scrolling through all his apps to see what’s different.

 

“Now we’re even.” She says walking past him, patting him on the arm as her and Cora chat away like nothing happened.

 

‘ _Sisters can be such a pain_ ’, he thinks as he explores into the depths of his phone.

  


When he sees it, his stomach seems to sink and explode at the same time.

 

Apparently he’s sent a text to Stiles.   _Fuck.Fuck.Fuck._

 

“Oh, god.”

 

He’s scared to see what Laura’s sent to him. Now Stiles is going to think he’s a total freak or something.

 

Before he even has the chance to really do anything his phone chirps signalling a new text.  

 

From Stiles.

 

His palms feel shaky, but fuck it, he opens the text and as he reads it he finds himself pleasantly relieved and surprised.

 

_‘Hey! I didn’t think I’d hear from you!(:_

_Im good, What are you up 2?’_

 

He takes a deep breath and can't help but smile to himself.

 

Derek quickly types out a response and hopes for the best.

 

Stiles responds within five minutes and Derek punches his fist in the air.

 

* * *

 

  


Every time Derek’s phone chirps his heart skips a beat.

 

He’s smiling down at his phone, typing out a response to Stiles when Laura walks downstairs

 

He’s lounging on the couch when she smiles at him sweetly.

 

“You so owe me, I hope you know.”

 

Derek rolls his eyes, but the smile doesn’t disappear from his face.

 

“I know.” He says, “I owe you like four. Seriously.”

 

She laughs, eyes crinkling at the edges. She grabs her keys off the kitchen counter and opens the door.

 

“You’re such a dork, I swear.” she says as she leaves, locking the front door behind her.

  


Stiles and him have been texting back and forth for two weeks now and even though Derek can’t stand his sisters sometimes, he couldn’t live without them.

* * *

 

It’s been three days since Stiles has just stopped texting him.

 

Things had been going well. Really well actually, they’d just been talking about everything and anything, but they’ve also been getting to know each other on a deeper level.

 

He’s told Stiles about his annoying sisters and how he wishes he was an only child, and Derek now knows why Stiles is actually called Stiles, and wow, why would someone name their child that?

 

The last time they texted was only a few days ago, but it literally feels like forever to him, and Derek finds himself checking his phone all the time.

 

He wants to text Stiles and ask what’s up, but he doesn’t want to seem like some weird stalker or anything, so he doesn’t freak out when he does text Stiles and doesn't reply.

 

Accept he does. He totally does freak out.

 

Maybe he’s texting too much or too fast? Or maybe Stiles just isn't interested in him? God, he’s seriously getting so worked about some random guy, he feels like a teenage again. He’s honestly trying to just forget about it, busying himself with tons of work, but it’s easier said than done.

 

Even Laura has noticed him checking his phone every ten minutes.

 

“Maybe he’s just busy, Der.” Laura had mumbled, a frown on her lips.

 

“Yeah, maybe.” He said more to himself than to his sister.

 

He tries not to let it bother him, he does, but it leaves an uncomfortable weight in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

 

  


Derek is frantically running down the stairs, since the elevator has conveniently decided to not fucking work. He almost breaks his ankle trying to hop down the stairs two at a time, but he’s decided that a broken ankle is way better than whatever Peter will do to him if he doesn’t come back with six caffè americano’s with soy milk, three chai tea latte’s, four hot chocolates, and one eggnog latte, _for Peter of course_. Oh, and two dozen pastries, too.

 

A bunch of business men from Scotland have dropped by the office to discuss numbers and facts and what have you. As soon as they stepped through the door Peter had smiled a clasped his hands together, like he always does when he’s nervous. Right before they walked through the door, Peter had told him to _‘not fuck anything up, or I’ll fuck you up, got it kiddo?’_ and Derek, being the best nephew/employee ever had quickly nodded his head and smiled at his uncle.

 

The men are all tall and skinny, and once they get closer Derek realizes they’re wolves as well, it puts him on edge, being around so many unfamiliar faces, but Peter beams as soon as they walk through the door, hugging each and everyone of them like old friends.

 

Soon enough they’re all seated and happily chatting away, cracking jokes and laughing loudly. Derek takes this as his cue to leave, since they seem to have everything they need, but his uncle stops him.

 

“Derek,” He calls, and a silence falls over the room, “Wait a moment”

  


“Would you gentlemen like anything, coffee, donuts?” Peter asks the room.

  


The men quickly bark orders at him, he barely has time to get out a pen a sticky note to write down what they want. He already doesn’t like them.

  


“Is that all?” He asks, sarcastically.

  


Peter sends him a scarthing look, but says nothing.

 

“Actually,” One of the men says, “A dozen sticky buns and a dozen cinnamon rolls would be great, youngster.”

 

And _seriously_? The guy only looks about two or three years older than him, but what-the-fuck-ever.

 

Derek plasters on a smile, “Alright, I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

 

He quickly makes his way out of the conference room, heading straight for the elevators, but there’s an _‘Out Of Service_ ’ sign taped to the doors. So he turns back around and heads for the stairs.

 

His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he slides his hand into his pocket to grab it. He sees that he has one new text, and it’s from Peter. Derek feels his mouth go a little dry.

 

It reads:

_Der, this is a really important meeting, these guys are seriously considering investing in the company, which is exactly what we need. We need to keep these guys happy, so be back in 10 minutes or else._

  


That’s when Derek immediately breaks into a sprint, running down the stairs like a fucking olympian, because when Peter says or else, you do what the fuck you need to do, unless you want to end up in the hospital or in the ground.

 

And Derek wants neither of those things.

 

When he finally makes it out of the building the first thing he does is pull out his phone and searches Google for the nearest bakery and coffee shop.

 

The first result is a cafe, and it’s only two and a half blocks away. Derek quickly makes his way there, praying that everything turns out well.

 

The place is called _Howl_ , and Derek can’t help but internally snort, he bets that the place is a total hipster haven. As he walks he sees people scattered all over the place on their laptops and chatting quietly, the furniture is a mix of different styles, but everything looks comfortable. The atmosphere in the place is warm and homey, and despite himself, Derek finds himself liking the place already, especially the delectable smell of fresh coffee.

 

He walks up to the counter and is greeted by… no one?

 

Derek waits for about 30 seconds before he grows impatient and calls out to no one in particular.

 

“Hold on a sec!” He hears a muffled voice say from the back, and Derek rolls his eyes, because he doesn’t have a sec, he’s already wasted enough time as it is. He grabs his wallet from his back pocket and pulls out a few bills, he’ll just let the barista keep the change. He’s still shuffling through bills when he hears footsteps approach.

 

“Sorry for the wait. I’m the only one working and-” The voice cuts off.

 

“It’s fine,” Derek starts, looking for his sticky with all the orders on it, “I need all this, and quickly, please”

 

“Hello to you too, Derek.”

 

Derek looks up and his eyes go wide, because it’s Stiles. Stiles, the guy who stopped texting him out of no where and made Derek catch _feelings_.

 

“Oh,” he stutters, “Hey. Yeah, Hi. Stiles.”

 

Smooth, Derek. _Real smooth._

 

Stiles beams at him, “So,” he says, already moving around the small kitchen, “What’s all this for?”

 

Derek pauses, he can’t help looking at Stiles and his alabaster skin and ample lips. He shakes out of his haze and licks his lips, when he realizes he was staring.

 

“Work.” he finally replies with a shrug of his shoulders.

 

“Really?” Stiles laughs, putting some cinnamon rolls into a white box, “I never imagined you as an errand boy.”

 

“I guess,” Derek blushes. “What did you picture me as, then?”

 

“I dunno,” Now it’s Stiles’ turn to blush, his cheeks turning a rosy pink, “Maybe a CEO or something like that.”

 

_Now’s your chance Derek, ask him, do it!_

 

“Umm” Derek starts awkwardly.

 

_Do it! Ask him why he hasn’t texted you back!_

 

“Yeah? ” Stiles questions, pouring the last cup of coffee and efficiently popping a top on it.

 

Derek just goes for it, “I texted you, and er, you haven’t texted back.”

 

 _Well done, Hale_.

 

Stiles pauses, mouth forming an ‘o’. His whiskey rum eyes lighting up with surprise.

 

“You did?” He asks, “Oh god, I’m so sorry. You probably think I was ignoring you or something? Oh god, you totally think I’m dick, don’t you?”

 

He looks to Derek for an answer, but he doesn’t actually stop talking long enough for Derek to get a word in.

 

“My phone broke and I haven't gotten a new one yet.’

 

Derek pauses, not knowing what to say. Stiles is telling the truth though, Derek could hear his heart while he was speaking. And here Derek was, getting worked up and dejected for nothing, Stiles had just broken his phone. That’s all.

 

“Oh,” He breathes, “That’s... understandable.”

 

“I really am sorry, Derek.” Stiles says looking Derek in the eyes with an apologetic smile, a faint blush on his cheek and a glimmer in his honey eyes, “Maybe we can hang out sometime, though, get to know each other in real life?”

 

Derek’s heart skips a beat and he feels his palms getting all sweaty.

 

“Yeah,” Derek says as Stiles slides over the box of pastries and the coffees, “That sounds great.”

 

And Stiles beams again, his eyes crinkling near the edges, dimples appearing slightly, Derek might swoon.

 

Stiles opens his mouth, like he’s about to say something, but Derek’s phone chirps loudly, interrupting the moment and of course, it’s a text from Peter, _‘You have four minutes’_

 

Derek drops the bills on the counter with an apologetic smile, “It’s work,” he explains and rushes away, “See you around!”

 

“Bye!” He hears Stiles call after him, then “You left a fifty dollar tip!”

 

“Keep it!” He yells, running at the door.

 

Derek makes it back to the office with one minute to spare and a strange weight lifted from his chest; he really hopes that he gets to see Stiles again, and soon.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s nearly 6:30pm when Derek finally makes it into the loft. He sheds his jacket and scarf, haphazardly throwing it on the back of the couch. He’s so ready to hop in the shower and rinse away the day with scalding hot water, so he does just that.

 

He bathes for about twenty minutes before decided to get out, at this point his fingers are pruney, but he doesn’t care, he feels so relaxed. He heads downstairs to grabs a cold bottle of water before going back to his room and spending the rest of the night in bed doing absolutely nothing.

 

He’s walking past the couch when he notices Laura. She’s quietly tucked up on the recliner, furiously thumbing at her phone, a pleased smile on her face.

 

That’s new.

 

The prospect of being holed up in his room doesn’t seem as interesting now, not when he could be pestering his older sister and find out who’s making her smile via text.

 

Derek subtly walks over and sits on the couch nearest to Laura. She still hasn't realized that he’s even in the room, and that just piques his interest even more.

 

“Who are you talking to?” He barks, and Derek grins delightedly when she jumps a little, her cheeks going rosy red.

 

“Oh,” Laura mumbles, “Just Lydia.”

 

Why does that name ring a bell? It takes a few seconds before the gears begin to turn and Derek rolls his eyes when he realizes _why_ he knows that name.

 

“That girl from the club?” He asks.

 

“Yup,” She replies popping the ‘p’. “That’s the one.”

 

Derek doesn’t say anything, but he guesses that his expression says enough.

 

“We’ve been texting for a while now, “She says nonchalantly, “She’s actually pretty cool.”

 

“Yeah,” Derek says with a smirk, “I bet.”

 

Laura rolls her eyes at him. Her phone pings loudly and she immediately ignores Derek and goes back to her phone. She smiles again, giggling slightly. Laura quickly types something out and turns her attention back to him. He can’t help but feel a little jealous, Stiles still hasn’t texted him back, probably hasn't gotten a new phone yet, but still, it stings a little. He misses talking to Stiles.

 

“We’re going to hang out soon.” It sounds more like a confession than anything else.

 

“Is that bad?” He asks, a bit confused.

 

“I don’t know. I’m all jittery about seeing her, you know?”

 

“Yeah” He answers.

 

He doesn’t, but whatever.

 

“If you’re really scared, then maybe I could invite Stiles and it could be a double date.” He adds sarcastically.

 

“Yes!” Laura gasps, “Good idea!”

 

“Laura, no!” He says scandalized, “I was just kidding!”

 

Too late, Laura is already typing away at her phone, grinning evilly the entire time.

 

“You’re really smart when you want to be, Der!” Laura tells him happily.

 

“I hate you.” Derek grumbles walking away. He should of just stayed upstairs and watched some Hemlock Grove when he had the chance.

 

* * *

 

 

Apparently this Lydia girl thinks the whole ‘double date’ idea would be really exciting, or so Laura says she says. Derek already doesn’t really like her.

 

It’s the night of said double date and they’ve planned to meet up at the cinema to watch the newest Thor movie, but they’re going to catch a bite to eat beforehand so they don’t have to pay a fortune for the shitty popcorn and snacks.

 

Since he has a bunch of time to kill, Derek’s decided to get a few errands done, and maybe squeeze in a bit of work because he can.

  


It’s only 10:30am and Laura told him to be back home by 6:00pm so that they could head out and make it to the diner.

 

He hops on the subway planning to head into the office and finish up some paperwork, making sure everything he’s worked on for the past week is finalized.

 

The doors slide closed after a few more people crowd onto the small subway car.

 

He actually smells Stiles before he sees him, and that’s a little disconcerting, but whatever, totally not the point.

 

He subtly looks around trying to spot the kid and when he does he feels his hackles rise and his fists clench angrily.

 

They’re two seats away from him and Derek doesn’t think Stiles can see him, hell, he doesn’t even think Stiles knows that he’s on the car, but Derek sure sees him, and he can’t look away.

 

The plump lips that Derek couldn’t look away from the other day are captivating him in a totally different way. Stiles’ bottom lip is angry red and swollen, a small cut running down the corner. The bags under his eyes are worse than ever, and he’s so pale that he look almost transparent; his eyes no longer a brilliant bronze but a muddy brown. Stiles’ left cheekbone is bruised a deep purple color and slightly swollen around the edges.

 

Derek's at a complete loss.

  


The man accompanying Stiles gingerly rubs his hands up and down Stiles arms, and to the naked eye it looks like a loving gesture, but as Derek looks on he notices the tenseness in Stiles’ whole body and the uncomfortable look in his eyes.

 

“You know I love you right?” The man says.

 

Stiles doesn’t answer, doesn’t even acknowledged that the man said anything and apparently that was the wrong thing to do.

 

The guy roughly grabs Stiles by the wrist, “You’re hurting me, Scott.” Stiles whispers so softly that Derek barely catches.

 

The alpha, _Scott_ , uses his other hand to firmly grab Stiles by the chin until they make eye contact as his eyes flash a blazing red, “Answer me, when I speak to you, then.”

 

“I’m sorry,” he answers. The whole situation makes Derek’s skin crawl.

 

“You know I only do that because you make me do it, you have to learn to respect me.” The alpha release his hold on Stiles.

 

“Yeah,” Stiles says as he licks his swollen bottom lip and Scott’s hungry eyes trail the small movement.

 

“I’m sorry I had to do that,” The alpha adds offhandedly, “But the thought of you talking to someone else drives me crazy. I don’t think I could live without you, babe.”

 

That catches Derek a little off guard.

 

“I understand.” Stiles replies flatly.

 

“Good,” Scott says proud, “And I’m sorry I broke your phone, I’ll get you a new one soon, alright?”

 

Derek’s heart skips a beat and the air in the subcar seems to thicken, making it harder to breath.

 

“Ok.”

 

“Just make sure you don’t text other guys, yeah?” It’s said jokingly, but there’s an underlying threat there, Derek knows it, there’s a short pause before the alpha speaks again.

 

“If you ever left me, I don’t know what I’d do. I mean, if I can’t have you, then neither can anyone else, you know?”

 

“Yeah.” Stiles whispers.

 

“Good.” He kisses Stiles on the forehead. “I don’t mean to hurt you, you just makes me so mad sometimes, babe. You make me do it, you understand, right?”

 

“I understand.”

 

Scott envelops Stiles in a quick hug and Derek doesn’t miss how Stiles’ face contorts in pain.

 

Derek wonders if anymore bruises litter the expansion of Stiles’ body. He doesn’t doubt it.

 

The subways car slows down as it’s approaching the next station. He’s not anywhere close to the office, but he quickly  gets off anyway, thankful that Stiles doesn’t spot him at all.

 

Derek feels so sick to his stomach he dry heaves in the nearest wastebin.

 

 

* * *

 

Derek tells Laura that he feels sick and that he isn’t feeling up to the whole date, and unsurprisingly Laura tells him that Stiles also had to cancel.

 

“Maybe there’s a bug going around or something.” He tells her as he makes his way up to his bedroom.

 

“I hope not,” She mumbles, “At least Lydia and I are still on.”

 

He crawls into bed and can’t get the image of Stiles bruised and battered out of his head.

 

Derek spends the entire night just thinking, an uneasy feeling situated deep in his chest.

 

The defeated tone in Stiles voice and the dull look in his eyes keep running through his mind over and over and Derek realizes that he has to do something.

 

He has to do something. He _has_ to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought? I appreciate all con-crit and love it because it helps me become a netter writer and thus I'm able to put out a better quality of work!
> 
>  
> 
> Also, I don't know if this was clear but at this point Stiles and Derek have come to know each other a lot better!


	3. Chapter Three

Derek tosses and turns in bed, the sheets tangling around his limbs, leaving him feeling tied down and uncomfortable. Thoughts of Stiles’ marred face run through his brain and past his eyelids everytime he closes his eyes. He feels so angry and helpless for Stiles and the fact that he’s laying in bed makes Derek feel even worse.

 

He rolls over onto his stomach, sighing tiredly, tucking an arm under his pillow, trying to find a comfortable position. Derek attempts to lay still, but that only lasts for about five minutes before he feels uncomfortable, again. He rolls over to his side, giving up on sleep entirely. The clock on his nightstand read 3:42am in bright, neon numbers, and he groans into his pillow, yearning for sleep. He doesn’t know why it bothers him so much, how some boy he barely knows has managed to dig his way so deeply into Derek’s brain and left him feeling so emotionally hungry and unsatisfied, but it’s happened. It’s like a tiny itch lying under his skin that he just can’t scratch. It kind of annoys him.

Sure, he and Stiles have met a few times and have gotten to know each other a lot since the first time they’ve met, but that’s just not enough for Derek. He wants to spend time with Stiles, to talk with him in person and not just through text. He wants to know everything about the boy with honey eyes that smells like coffee and whose smile is blinding like the sun. He wants to make sure that Stiles is always safe and that he is always happy, smiling all the time.

A fairly simple task it seemed, but the moment that he saw Stiles standing there on the subway, beaten and bruised, eyes glazed over and empty; a heavy and uncomfortable weight settled deep in the pit of his stomach.

Derek doesn’t know why he cares so much. He shouldn’t care, not really. But he does.Thousands of people are victims of domestic abuse, human and were alike, Derek’s brain supplies; he remembers having to do research about the topic for speech class; then he remembers something specific that he had read; 1,300 deaths are caused each year as a result of domestic violence. That could be Stiles, Derek thinks, he could end up a statistic.

A surge of anger flows through his veins when he thinks of Stiles being hit by someone who’s supposed to love him and take care of him. Derek isn’t totally sure that the alpha on the train was Stiles’ alpha, but nonetheless, alpha’s are supposed to be the protectors of their pack; a leader that can be relied on in any situation.

Derek closes his eyes then, taking a deep breath to calm himself. He begins to imagine what it would be like if he did help liberate (not if, but when he corrects himself) Stiles; about how he could make a better life for the both of them. He starts visualizing all the different scenarios that would happen between him and Stiles.

One fantasy imparticular sticks in his mind.

Derek is sprawled out in bed, exactly how he is now, except he’s not alone. Stiles is there with him, his head resting peacefully on top of Derek’s chest. He pictures himself running his palm through Stiles’ messy head of head. He imagines Stiles leaning into his touch, snuggling contentedly into his body; Stiles wrapping his arm around the expansion of Derek’s waist to keep him close. Just laying together, reveling in each other’s company. In his fantasy, Derek’s on the verge of unconsciousness when Stiles lifts up his head, planting a chaste but sweet kiss upon Derek’s lips with a smile before tucking himself back into Derek’s side with a happy sigh.

Derek relaxes back into the mattress, a content sigh escaping from his lips as well; and before he knows it, he’s finally fallen asleep.

* * *

Derek is awoken by the heavenly smell of bacon.

He rubs the sleep out of his eyes and rolls over, sitting up in bed. The clock on his nightstand reads 11:48am, so it’s still early considering that it’s the freakin weekend; Derek’s tempted to just tuck himself back under the covers and fall back asleep but his stomach grumbles loudly, demanding to be fed.

He heads down the hall and before he even makes it downstairs he can hear what distinctly sounds like tiny, gasp-like moans and soft laughter.

Derek stops in his tracks, his eyebrows scrunching up in confusion, because did he really just hear moaning?

He tip-toes the rest of the way, silently making his way down into the kitchen. He’s met with the sight of Laura humming, happily cooking eggs. A plate of toast and delicious looking bacon sitting on the counter.

Derek proceeds with caution, because Laura being awake before noon and cooking? Something definitely isn’t right here. Aliens must have taken over the planet last night when he was sleeping, because Laura never cooks, like, never.

The moans, though, he doesn’t have an explanation for that.

“Who are you and what have you done with my sister?” Derek asks with narrowed eyes.

It’s then when Laura turns around a goofy smile on her face, she’s scraping eggs out of the pan and onto a large plate when she rolls her eyes at him, it’s not very effective though, because she’s still smiling.

“What?” She says. “I cook… and stuff.”

“Right,” Derek huffs a laugh. “And I’m straight.”

Laura laughs at that, “Whatever, Der, just be nice.”

He’s about to ask what the hell she’s talking about until he hears the soft padding of footsteps approaching them. It’s then when Lydia walks into the room, her long, red curls tucked up into a ponytail. A rather impressive trail of hickies leading from behind her ear and disappearing down into her shirt.

‘Oh,’ Derek thinks, ‘OH.’

That explains the moans and the cooking and Laura smiling. Like, actually smiling.

Lydia blushes slightly when she notices Derek staring at her neck, but she does nothing to hide the marks.

“Hi.” Derek says with a slight smile.

“Hey.”She replies softly, turning to Laura.

“This,” Laura says walking over to Lydia, placing an arm around Lydia’s waist, “Is my brother, Derek.”

“And Der,” She continues, leveling Derek with a glare. “You know Lydia, from the club and what not.”

“Yeah,” Derek begins with a smile. “So how was the date last night? Good I’m guessing?”

He doesn’t miss the flush of color that rises on both of the girls’ cheeks and he grins wickedly.

“It was,” Lydia answers. “Too bad Stiles couldn’t come, it would of been fun.”

“Yeah,” Derek’s smile drops. “Too bad.”

That’s when he really looks at Lydia, like, really looks at her.

Her tone wasn’t condescending or teasing or anything like that, she genuinely felt bad that Stiles couldn’t come. Derek takes a deep breath and that’s when he smells it. If he wasn’t paying attention he totally would of missed it, but as she spoke, and air of resentment and glum swirled in the air around her. His eyebrows turn down in confusion, and Derek quickly wonders if Lydia knows what’s going on with Stiles.

Lydia looks back at Derek, sending him a soul searching glare. They’re both snapped out of their staring when Laura grabs three plates from the cabinet, placing them on the counter with a dull thud.

“Maybe next time he can join us,” Laura comments softly, defusing the weird vibe in the room. She places a pile of eggs and bacon on a plate, sliding it to Derek. He gratefully takes it, grabbing a piece of toast to scoop up eggs and bacon.

“Don’t be a pig,” Laura whispers harshly, low enough so only Derek is able to hear, he rolls his eyes, hopping up and grabbing a fork for all three of them.

“Thanks,” Lydia says as he hands her one.

Soon it’s quiet, except for the sound of the metal forks scraping against the glass plates.

“So, uh,” Derek starts, nibbling on bacon, “Have you talked to Stiles?”

“Not recently,” The girl in question pauses, cutting a soft glare at Derek. “Why?”

Derek feels himself deflate a bit at her answer, he was hoping that someone who actually knew Stiles would of talked to him, maybe been able to tell what he’s been up to, but no such luck.

“Other than the fact that he’s totally in love with the kid?” Laura snarks, shoving a fork full of eggs into her mouth.

“Laura!” He whines, feeling his cheeks burn up. He sends her a disbelieving look as she shrugs in response.

“You know it’s true,” Laura answers.

His cheeks feel like they’re on fire, he dares to look over to Lydia and to his surprise, she’s smiling at him, an almost fond, but cautious look in her eyes.

“What?” He asks, confused.

“He likes you, too, you know?” She questions.

Derek doesn’t know what to say, because this is almost too good to believe. The guy he’s in like with actually likes him back? And what about the alpha he had seen Stiles with, then? What was all of that about?

“How do you know?” Derek asks a little too eager.

Laura laughs at him, but he doesn’t really care because Stiles might really like him. He might have a chance with Stiles.

“Please,” Lydia scoffs, “The exact same night you guys were at the club Stiles was spouting sonnets about some greek god that he had seen on the subway. Then lo and behold, the same guy, you, show up at the club and at the coffee shop he works at.”

He doesn’t even know what to say. Stiles was thinking about him? Spouting sonnets? He feels like he’s floating, the pit of his stomach growing warm.

“Aww!” Laura coos. “He thinks about you as much as you think about him! It’s true love!”

“It’s weird," Lydia laughs at her comment. "but you never know. You two might be good for each other."

“But, he,” Derek pauses, not knowing how to continue. “I..”

Stiles has a boyfriend. At least it seems like it. An alpha boyfriend who abuses him and breaks his phone when he finds out that Stiles has been texting other guys who may or may not be Derek.

Derek doesn’t know the full story. He doesn’t have all the information that he needs. Stiles is this beautiful enigma that he so badly wants to solve, but Derek just doesn't know how to go about it.

Apparently Stiles likes Derek back, but he seems to be already taken by someone? Or maybe Stiles is just looking for a way out of his abusive relationship and Derek is the light at the end of the tunnel?

So many questions run through his mind, swirling around his brain, making his dizzy.

He looks up to find Laura and Lydia staring at him worriedly.

“You okay, Der?” Laura asks.

“Yeah, I’m just..” He pauses. “I don’t know.”

Lydia opens her mouth as if she’s about to ask him something, but she doesn’t, instead sending him another deep look that has him feeling like he’s done wrong.

Derek quickly scrapes the remaining food from his plate into his mouth. He just really likes Stiles. The first time he had seen him, sitting on the subway a feeling of warmth and comfort washed through him. At first he had thought it was infatuation, but after getting to know Stiles and finding out that Stiles liked him back, Derek senses that this whole thing is a lot more complicated than he’d like.

“I forgot I need to run a few errands for Peter,” He lies, quickly heading upstairs to get changed. Right now, he just wants to leave and go for a run or something. Anything to clear his mind of the perplexing thoughts flowing throughout his brain. He rummages through his drawers, finding an old pair of sweats and his dad’s faded university shirt.

When he heads back downstairs the two girls are done eating, both of them tucked up cozily into the love-seat watching TV.

“Be back later!” He calls out behind him.

He hears two quiet ‘byes’ follow him out the door and then he’s off.

* * *

Derek’s jogged the entire length of the park, twice.

His body feels likes it’s floating, his calves are on fire are he’s dripping sweat, his t-shirt clinging to his skin. The sun is sitting high in the sky but fortunately there is a nice breeze swirling through the trees and when it hits his skin he can’t help but sigh in pleasure.

Running always makes Derek feel better, helping him clear his mind while simultaneously helping him stay in shape. His heart is still pounding against his rib-cage as he walks over to a nearby water fountain. After eagerly slurping in the cold water he pulls out his phone and realizes that it’s already two o’clock.

He groans, stretching quickly before walking back to the entrance of the park to start his trek back home. Derek’s wiping the sweat from his brow with the hem of his t-shirt when he catches the familiar and provocative scent of freshly ground coffee beans.

Derek automatically whips his head back and forth, searching the horizon for the only person he knows who smells that damn good.

He quickly spots Stiles sitting on a park bench, not too far from where he is standing. He’s sitting alone, and upon further inspection, Derek can see that the boy’s eyes are red and glassy. It tugs at Derek’s heartstrings seeing Stiles upset. The boy ducks his head, letting them fall into his hands; Derek can see the Stiles’ body shake with what he presumes are sobs and before he knows it, his body is moving and heading straight for Stiles.

He’s only about a foot away before Stiles realizes that there is someone in front of him, and when he notices that it’s Derek, the boy quickly rubs at his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, wiping away any signs of distress.

From here Derek can clearly see the signs of abuse on Stiles face. His lip isn’t as swollen as the day before, but his cheek is still bruised pretty bad.

“Hey,” Stiles says wobbly, sniffing slightly. “Derek. It’s been a while.”

“It has,” Derek agrees softly, taking a seat next to Stiles. “Are you okay?”

“Oh,” Stiles laughs joylessly, his eyes growing shiny again. “I’m fine. I just-”

“Stiles,” Derek huffs out a breath before Stiles can finish. “I know we haven’t known each other too long, but... you kind of suck at lying.”

Stiles pauses then, searching Derek’s face for something, Derek doesn’t know what. Their eyes meet for what feels like a long moment, but is probably only seconds and it’s then that Stiles’ face seems to transform.

“Okay,” Stiles whispers, his bottom lip quivering slightly. “Ask me again, then.”

Derek is confused for a second before he realizes what Stiles is talking about.

“Stiles,” Derek whispers back, afraid to break the fragile moment they’re having, his hand moves of its own violation and comes to rest on Stiles cheek. “Are you okay?”

“No,” Stiles says quickly, honestly; leaning into Derek’s touch, tears freely flowing down his face. “I’m not. I’m far from okay, actually.”

Derek doesn’t know what to say, he wants so badly to wrap Stiles into his arms and so he does. He pulls Stiles tight, giving him no room to doubt that Stiles is less than safe with him. Body wracking sobs begin to consume Stiles so badly that Derek feels it necessary to seep some of the younger boy’s pain away and carry some of his burden.

“I am so far from being alright, Derek,” Stiles bawls out.

“Stiles,” Derek quickly looks up, his throat feeling horribly tight and he wants to roll his eyes because he feels like he’s on the verge of crying, now.

Stiles lightly pushes out of his embrace, wiping at his eyes again and he huffs out a tiny laugh when he looks down at Derek’s shirt, which is low splotched with tears and what he thinks is snot.

“Sorry,” The boy says, attempting to clean the shirt but only making it worse.

“It’s fine, honestly,” Derek starts. “It’s just a stupid shirt.”

“And about, er, totally having an emotional breakdown on you,” Stiles says. “I just… I’m just - I’ve had a hard day, I guess.”

“Well, I totally expect you to hold me when it’s my turn to have an emotional breakdown,” Derek teases, earning a smile from Stiles. “That’s what friends are for, anyway.”

“We’re friends?” Stiles asks softly, an anxious look on his face.

“Of course,” Derek says confidently. “If that’s alright with you.”

“Yeah,” Stiles replies. “That sounds very alright with me.”

Derek opens his mouth to reply when Stiles pocket chirps loudly, making them both jump.

Stiles hand slides into his butt pocket before pulling a phone out. He looks at the screen briefly, his face turning sullen before he unlocks it and begins fiercely typing away at the screen. Stiles pauses after a moment, staring intently at Derek. Derek raises his eyebrows in question and Stiles smiles at him slightly, back to typing.

Apparently finished, he places the phone on the bench and stands. Derek wisely says nothing about him leaving the phone on the bench.

 

“Everything alright?” Derek asks, standing as well.

“Well, Derek,” Stiles says. “I don’t honestly know, yet.”

“Yet?” Derek questions, walking along-side Stiles.

“Yeah,” Stiles says softly, looking over to Derek. Then out of the blue, “Also, sorry about our double date.”

“No hard feelings,” Derek smiles. “Besides, I think it was better that way. Laura and Lydia really hit it off.”

“Really?” Stiles says, a real smile on his face, “How do you know?”

“Aside from the fact that she was still at my loft in the morning,” Derek starts. “The war-zone of hickies on her neck left little to the imagination."

“That’s news,” Stiles says. “Do you think she’ll still be over at your place?”

“Maybe,” Derek pauses, “Why?”

“I haven't seen Lydia in a while,” Stiles tells him, then nudges him in the side. “Plus, it’ll give us a chance to finally hang out.”

Derek feels a swirl of excitement run through his body.

“Is that so?” Derek teases.

“Yes," Stiles smiles. “That’s what friends do, right? Hang out and all that good stuff.”

“I suppose so,” Derek grins.

It’s silent on the walk back to Derek’s loft and to be honest he feels like this is all a dream. He actually pinches himself to check that he’s awake.

He looks over to Stiles, he still looks a bit ragged and tired, but his eyes. They look so much more awake than they did only a few minutes ago when they were on the park bench.

He laughs, a little shocked, because this all happened so fast and it’s even better than anything Derek could of ever imagined.

“What’s so funny?” Stiles asks, smiling at him.

“Nothing,” Derek says. “It’s just that this is kind of out of the blue, I guess.”

“It is,” Stiles agrees softly. “You’re okay with this, right? I’m not forcing myself on you or anything?”

“Definitely okay with this,” Derek tells him. _‘More than you know’._

“Good,” Stiles tells him, their hands brush and a small shock runs into Derek’s body. “God, this is weird, huh? I think this has been the craziest week of my life.”

“Agreed,” Derek tells him. “Before you my life was -”

“Boring? Pitiful?” Stiles interjects. “I know, no need to thank me, my sweet.”

“I was actually going to say fantastic,” Derek teases, his cheeks feeling a warm from Stiles’ pet name. “But whatever helps you sleep at night, _dear_.”

Stiles actually laughs at that and Derek wishes he could get Stiles to laugh like that all the time because it’s so breathtaking. Stiles has a full body laugh, throwing his head back, throat beautifully on display. It's one of those laughs that gets everyone's attentions and inadvertently makes everyone else want to smile.

“Oh, please,” Stiles says leaning on Derek. “You know I speak the truth.”

_‘Yes,’_ Derek thinks again. _‘More than you know’._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this update and if you see any mistakes just tell me so I can correct them!
> 
> Enjoy, bbys!


	4. Chapter Four

The sun is already beginning to set, turning the sky a gorgeous mixture of pink and orange and Derek’s surprised at how fast this day’s gone by. He doesn’t mind though, since he has such nice company.

 

As soon as Derek steps through the loft doors he’s pounced on.

 

Even with his werewolf prowess he isn’t fast enough to duck out of the way and avoid crashing into his sister. Their foreheads smack together and it leaves Derek reeling. Laura is fine, unsurprisingly _(her hardheadedness finally useful)_ , and a large grin spreads across her lips.

 

“Derek!” Laura squeals. “Where have you been? It’s alread-”

 

She pauses when she finally spots Stiles trailing in behind him, her eyes go wide and she raises her eyebrows in surprise, as she leers at him. He sends her a scathing glare even though it sort of makes his head throb, it reads: _‘Be nice but also don’t be weird and overbearing or i will murder you in your sleep no one will find the body.’_

 

In reply Laura only smiles hard, practically grinning from ear to ear and turns sharply over to where Stiles is standing.

 

“Stiles, hey!” Laura chirps, running over to the boy and enveloping him into a tight hug. Stiles seems a bit shocked when she hugs him and Derek doesn’t miss it when Stiles winces in pain. He hides it well, though, and Derek clenches his jaw; he doesn’t think that’s a good thing.

 

He breathes out softly but sharply when she releases him, but Laura don’t notice.

 

“I didn't expect you,” She smiles.  “But it’s a freaking delight to see your adorable twink face.”

 

At that remark Stiles blushes a hot red and Derek begins to think of places to hide Laura’s body.

 

“Uh- yeah,” Stiles says. “Derek and I ran into each other at the park and we thought it would be nice to hang out.”

 

“I can see that,” Laura says with narrowed eyes, inspecting the boys bruised face. “Did you two _literally run into each other_? That looks like it hurts.”

 

“It was-,” Derek starts at the same time Stiles blurts out. ‘I just-”

 

Thankfully they’re both saved from muttering out their lame excuses when another voice joins the conversation.

 

“Stiles?” Lydia asks from behind him, when he looks she has a warm smile on her face.

 

“Hey, Lyds,” Stiles answers, giving her a quick hug. “Derek said you might be here.” Then, after a pause. “Also, you _do_ have an impressive amount of hickies.”

 

At that Laura laughs and Lydia can’t stop the blush that runs up her neck and to her cheeks.

 

“I never took you for a gossiper, Derek.” Lydia says haughtily at the same time Laura says, “It’s not that bad.”

 

“Whatever you say,” Stiles says, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

 

“Ugh,” Lydia says with an eye roll. “Let’s change the subject, shall we?”

 

“Let’s not,” Derek says just to be an ass.

 

Lydia’s gaze snaps over to him and Derek can’t help but shrink back a bit under her scrutiny.

 

The girl may be tiny, but he’s pretty sure that she could probably kick his ass if she really wanted to.

 

Lydia is not to be reckoned with.

 

Stiles latches onto Derek’s arm and pulls him back, making a tsking sound at Lydia. Derek’s arm is set ablaze where Stiles holds him closely, and he can’t help the resulting goosebumps that appear on his flesh. Stiles doesn’t seem to notice Derek being a total schoolgirl, too busy mock scolding Lydia.

  
  


“No,” Stiles pointing a finger. “No intimidating new friends. Bad Lydia.”

 

“He started it,” Lydia pouts. “Anyway, I've known you longer. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

 

“Yeah, well,” Stiles starts. “You have Laura, now, right?”

 

“True,” Laura says, sliding up to Lydia, wrapping her arm around the other girls waist. “And I’m much awesome-er, so that has to count for something.”

 

“Rude,” Derek says. “I’m _obviously_ the better sibling, Stiles knows what he’s talking about.”

 

“Really, Der?” Laura say. “I’ll punch you in the nuts, then lets see how much better you are.”

 

“ _Puh-lease_ ,” Derek rumbles. “Why don’t you just go and give your girlfriend some more hickies, huh?”

 

A startled laugh escapes from Stiles while Lydia’s death glare becomes even more powerful.

  
  


“Ohh,” Stiles laughs. “You just got _burned_.”

 

“Stiles,” Laura starts. “Don’t let Derek’s good looks lead you astray. It wouldn’t be smart to go against us.”

 

“Sorry,” Stiles says, moving closer to Derek. “But everyone knows that girls are lame and boys are the best, so I’m sticking with Derek and his good looks.”

 

“I see,” Lydia says. “I guess you no longer believe in ‘chicks before dicks’?

 

Stiles gasps, scandalized.

 

“Lydia!” Stiles says. “How could you accuse me of that? Everyone knows it’s ‘bros before hoes’, right Derek?”

 

Derek doesn’t even have time to answer.

 

“Did you just call us hoes?” Laura laughs. “Oh, it is _on_. You are both going to regret this day so much.”

 

“Bring it,” Stiles and Derek say in unison.

 

The two opposing forces in the room stare at each other with heated glares.

 

The entire argument is what leads to a situation that is universally known for tearing families apart. Derek’s sad that it had to come to something so tragic; he’s upset that he and Stiles had to go this far for the girls to realize who the better sex is, but he has to do what he has to do. He has to show these girls how to get shit done.

 

The event has come to be called Game Night, and yes it’s capitalized because it’s fucking official and when Stiles and him win he is going to hold this over Laura for as long as he can.

 

“Fucking! UNO!” Derek growls, slamming his last card onto the table. Next to him Stiles crows triumphantly, wrapping his arms around Derek’s neck, laughing into his ear. Derek wraps an arm around Stiles torso, celebrating their win; and it’s just so easy, holding the other male closer, it feels so _right_. Derek wishes he had the chance to hold Stiles all the time.

 

 _Maybe one day I will_ , he thinks.

 

Stiles had just called UNO one round before Derek had. Across the table from them Laura and Lydia  practically seethe with rage. Derek is sure that if looks could kill that he would be very dead right now. Stiles might be hurt, but Derek would definitely be dead.

 

“You guys so cheated,” Laura mumbles. “I don’t know if I like you anymore, Stiles.”

 

“Don’t hate the player, girl,” Stiles says, still clinging to Derek. “Hate the game.”

 

Lydia throws a potato chip at him but it overshoots and Stiles hops up in time and catches it in his mouth. The boy chews it happily, crunching loudly.

 

“Impressive,” Derek mumbles.

 

“Thank you, _dear_ ,” Stiles quips, smiling brightly at Derek.

 

Their eyes lock onto each other and for a moment everything just stops. Derek can hear the sharp intake of breath from Stiles and the sound of both their hearts pounding erratically. Derek’s body seems to move on it’s own will and he leans forward to the other boy, Stiles licks his lips and Derek can’t help but track the movement.

 

For a moment he thinks that they’re going to kiss. Stiles smiles slightly, leaning forward just a bit, there’s only about half a foot of room between their heads now and Derek thinks for sure that they’re going to kiss and his heart skips a beat.

 

He can’t wait to see if Stiles lips feel as soft and plump as they look.

 

 _Fuck it,_ Derek thinks, moving in for the kill.

 

“Well!” Laura booms, causing Stiles and Derek to jump apart from each other. Stiles quickly looks away, clearing his throat, a faint blush on his cheeks. The atmosphere, whatever it was, between them gone as fast as it came. “That was fun.”

 

Derek is definitely going to kill her.

 

“Yeah,” Derek answers, voice surprisingly raw. “Kicking your asses was a blast.”

 

“Prepare to have your asses kicked,” Lydia says. “Next time we’re playing Pairs.”

 

“I don’t know how to play Pairs,” Stiles comments.

 

“Well,” Lydia smiles. “You better learn.”

 

Laura laughs and then proceeds to gasp.

 

“Holy shit,” she mumbles. “It’s almost one in the morning!”

 

“No way!” Stiles gasps. “We've been playing that long!?”

 

“Apparently,” Lydia remarks, somewhat sadly, turning to Laura. “I actually really need to get going. I have work tomorrow”

 

“Aw,” Laura frowns a bit. “I’ll see you again, though?”

 

Lydia quickly presses a kiss on his sisters lips, “Of course you will.”

 

“I should get going, too,” Stiles says. “D’you think you could take me home, Lyds?”

 

“Sure,” the girl answers. “Just let me get my stuff.”

 

The two girls head off upstairs to says their goodbyes and what-not, leaving Stiles and Derek alone downstairs.

 

“I had fun,” Stiles announces. “A lot of fun, actually.”

 

“I’m glad,” Derek says. “I hope we can do it again sometime.”

 

“Definitely,” Stiles says, he moves closer to Derek and that aura is back again. The air grows thicker, charged with some feeling that Derek can’t describe.

 

“Good,” Derek swallows. “I like you- I - I mean, I like having you around. You’re - yeah.”

 

Stiles chuckles softly at Derek’s words.

 

“Sorry, if I’m being forward, or whatever,” Stiles says stiles moving closer to Derek. “But earlier, I don’t know, I just- can I kiss you?”

 

Derek pauses, his eyes going wide. He’s pretty sure he’s not breathing right now, and Stiles must take this as a bad sign, because he begins to take a step back.

 

“Oh, God,” He starts. “I thought- I’m so sorry, Derek. I thought-”

 

 _No,_ Derek thinks, _You thought right._

 

And now it’s Derek’s turn to pounce, he grabs Stiles by the wrist, pulling the other male closer. Without thinking Derek pulls Stiles in and just kisses him. It isn’t more than just a press of lips, a chance to let Stiles back out if he wants to, but he doesn't.

 

Stiles kisses back, pressing against Derek. His arm delicately slides around Derek’s shoulder and the next moment they’re actually kissing _(with tongue!)_ and Derek doesn't believe that this is real life.

 

Derek pulls back, looking at Stiles; his whisky-rum eyes dazzle and Derek can’t not dive back for another kiss.

 

Stiles bites at Derek’s lower lip and a please rumble reverberates through his chest. Derek can feel as Stiles smiles into the kiss and, fuck, he can’t help but smile too. Derek explores Stiles mouth, and for a while their tongues meet, swirling around each other like an intricate dance.

 

Derek’s hands roam down the sweet slope of Stiles back and down to his hip, the kissing growing more heated.

 

They break away when the sound of footsteps reaches their ears and Stiles softly pushes Derek a step away. Even though they've stopped kissing, the phantom touch of Stiles on him lingers, leaving Derek happily dazed.

 

“I’m ready when you are,” Lydia says to Stiles, keys jingling in hand.

 

“I’m ready,” Stiles says softly, a thoughtful look in his eyes, still looking at Derek.

 

“I’ll see you soon,” Derek mumbles, “Hopefully.”

 

“You will see me soon,” Stiles remarks. “Definitely.”

 

They both smile at each other like total idiots, high off of adrenaline and hormones, and wave a quick goodbye before Lydia and Stiles finally head out.

 

Derek isn’t completely sure that he see Stiles so soon, but he really hopes that he does.

 

His lips still tingle from where Stiles had lightly bitten him earlier and Derek smiles like a dork when he remembers that him and Stiles kissed. _God. They actually kissed._

 

He chuckles softly to himself.

 

“Derek!” Laura bursts out, causing Derek to jump out of his skin. “You’re, like, glowing! Did you and Stiles exchange handy's while we were upstairs?”

 

“Laura!” Derek gaps, blushing deeply. “No! I- What are you even talking about?”

 

“Oh. My. God,” Laura whispers, walking closer to her brother. “Did you kiss him or something?”

 

Derek opens his mouth to mutter out some excuse when Laura gasps even louder, slapping her hands down on the counter.

 

“YOU KISSED!” She smirks delightedly. “OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS, YOU KISSED HIM DIDN'T YOU?!”

 

She quickly pulls out her phone, and before Derek has time to react he’s blinded by the flash on her phone and Laura is cooing at him.

 

“Derek! That’s so cute!” Laura’s fingers are flying and the pleased grin never leaves her face. “Mom is gonna scream, I swear.”

 

“Laura,” Derek growls, embarrassed. “ _I swear_ , you better not do what I think you’re doing!”

 

“Too late,” she says way too satisfied. “I’m telling Lydia too! Now we absolutely _have_ to schedule a double date!”

 

“Laura,” Derek whines, defeated. “You are such a busybody.”

 

“Gah, fuck it,” She says, apparently having ignored his remark. “I’m sending this to everyone.”

 

He jumps over the counter and snatches the phone from her hands, but he is too late.

 

Her phone reads:

 

_Message(s) forwarded!_

 

Attached is a picture of him and whoa, he looks, er- _debauched_ is a pretty good word. His cheeks are rosy red, his lips just a touch swollen and his _hair_ , it just doesn't give a fuck, sticking up here and there.

 

The caption below it says, _‘Baby Der finally got to first base! Maybe next time his twink boyfriend will let him get a home run? Forward this for good luck!’_

“I hate you,” Derek groans. He’s about to chuck to phone at her head when it buzzes, he looks down and sees that she has three new texts.

 

From Cora, Erica, and... _fuck_ , his mom.

_Bby sis: He looks so cute! Lol! I demand a pic of them 2gether!_

_Airwrecka: Does this mean he’ll get laid and stop being such a party pooper all the time?_

_Mama Wolf: How sweet. My bby all growns up I want and need to meet his boyfriend. Call me tomorrow!_

After reading that text he actually does throw the phone at her head.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When he finally finds the phone it’s sitting on one of the park benches, it’s owner nowhere to be found.

  
  


He can’t help the deep, irritated growl that erupts from his lips. He can feel his claws itching to come out and just destroy and maim and hurt, but he clenches his jaw and wills himself to calm down.

 

The smell of another wolf intermingled with Stiles’ own scent has him on edge.

 

He swiftly unlocks the phone, hoping to find some clue as to where Stiles may be.

 

Waiting for him are twelve messages.

 

Nine, he realizes, are from his own number. Most of them inquiring where the hell Stiles is and why he hasn’t been answering his phone.

 

But the other three are from Lydia.

 

_‘Did you had fun? If so then we totally need to do it again’_

_‘Hope you had a good night, Stiles. Love you!’_

He rolls his eyes at the girl and at the irritation bubbling over inside him, where exactly was Stiles and what was he doing that was so much fun?

 

_Stiles! You kissed him?! (;_

 

The last text is accompanied with a forwarded picture, and his claws begin to puncture the phone as he reads it.

 

It’s a photo of a man, lips plump from what he assumes is kissing and a mess of hair. He’s handsome, and that leaves an uncomfortable, heavy feeling in his stomach.

 

The caption below the picture reads: _'Baby Der finally got to first base! Maybe next time his twink boyfriend will let him get a home run? Forward this for good luck!’_

 

He feels his claws extend out and slice through the phone easily as if its butter.

 

He isn't dumb, far from it actually, and he can put two and two together.

 

He throws the remains of the phone to the ground and snarls.

 

Scott needs to find Stiles and teach him to not disrespect his alpha.

 

 


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a long while, so from me to you, have 5,000+ words to make up for that. Enjoy!

As Derek climbs into bed that night he feels light as air; an ever present  surge of giddiness and excitement flowing hotly through his veins.

 

The feel of Stiles lips pressing against his refuses to disappear and Derek would be very happy to keep it that way. He wants to always have Stiles by his side and he wants to always be able to kiss him and make him laugh; Derek wants to be able to always be there for Stiles.

 

It’s a brand new feeling for Derek, feeling so strongly about another person, and the prospect of having someone he can spend his days with makes him smile.

 

He tucks his arm under his pillow and attempts to fall asleep but his brain just won't let him, and after about ten minutes of tossing back and forth he totally forgoes sleeping altogether and tip-toes over to Laura’s room.

 

He doesn’t bother knocking because Derek knows that she isn’t sleeping. While Derek tends to sleep when the sun is down _like normal people do_ ; Laura insists on falling asleep when the sun is up. Seriously, when they were younger his mom would swear up and down that Laura was actually a vampire, and that she accidentally took home the wrong baby from the hospital.

 

_If only,_ Derek thinks half fondly _, all the ridicule and sibling torture he might of missed out on._

 

Her door creaks slightly as he pushes it open, and unsurprisingly Laura is sitting on her bed, headphones in, her face illuminated only by the light of her laptop. She doesn’t notice him open the door and Derek bets, like, a million dollars that she’s either playing Minecraft or watching Netflix.

 

Derek flips on the light switch and her eyes flicker over to him immediately, flashing yellow for a split second before turning back. She sticks her tongue out at him, taking out one of her earphones.

 

“What’s up, bub?” She asks, motioning for him to join her on the bed.

 

He makes his way over and jumps on the mattress, bouncing once before settling down, and when he notices the screen paused he mentally pats himself on the back.

 

“Captain America, really?” He smirks.

 

“Hey,” Laura says affonted. “Chris Evans is a fantastic actor and he has the body of a God, so excuse you.”

 

He laughs before nodding his head.

 

“I never said otherwise,” Derek comments. “Are you busy with your Steve Rogers boner or can we talk?”

 

Laura perks up at the prospect of gossip and she quickly pushes her laptop to the side and gives Derek her full attention.

 

“Let me guess,” Laura contemplates, tapping a finger against her lips. “This is about Stiles and how you're _thoroughly_ head over heels for him?”

 

Derek narrows his eyes at her before he gives in, sagging into her side; proceeding to sigh like a schoolgirl in love.

 

“Yes,” Derek pouts. “I just- I feel like… I don't know, Laur. I really like him. Like really, really like him.”

 

“Der-bear,” Laura says as she wraps her arm around his shoulders. “You just met this kid. Sure it isn’t just, like, your libido or something?”

 

“No! That’s the thing, I know we just met, but it’s just,” Derek bursts. “I feel so happy when I'm around him, like I don't have any worries.”

 

“So not lust?” Laura asks.

 

“No,” Derek scoffs. “I don’t want to rip his clothes off and have crazy sex with him on every available surface. _Even though that would be nice_. I just want to wrap him up and keep him with me all the time.”

 

“That’s kinda creepy,” Laura laughs. “You sound like dad or Peter.”

 

“Rude.” Derek rolls his eyes, sending Laura a disdainful look.

 

Then she proceeds to gasp loudly, her grip on Derek’s shoulder skirting the line of painful.

 

“Ow!” Derek blurts out. “What? I’m not going to _Misery_ him or anything.”

 

“No! That’s not it!” Laura says, bouncing up and down on the mattress, smacking his bicep for good measure. “You sound like dad when he’s talking about mom; Or Peter when he’s swooning over Aunt Sarah! Der! What if Stiles is your mate?!”

 

Derek’s stomach does a flip at that, because now that she’s said that, it does sort of make sense as to why he feels this way. Memories of his dad sitting him down at the kitchen table, explaining the ins out outs of being and having a mate; and that terrifies the hell out of him.

 

“Laura, that isn't funny.” Derek sneers.

 

“It wasn't meant to be, I was serious,” Laura tells him, maintaining eye contact. “What if Stiles actually is your mate? _Ohmygod_ , that would be so cute. Mom would actually die, you know?”

 

“If Stiles turned out to be my mate I think _I_ would die,” Derek murmurs. “I can't even imagine how mom would react.”

 

“I’m obviously going to be your best-woman at the wedding,” Laura adds. “I can see it now, God, I have to call Lydia tomorrow and give her all the deets.”

 

“I- no,” Derek says, quieter this time. “Don’t say anything, alright? Not yet, at least. I don’t want to, like, jinx anything before its actually happened.”

 

“Aw,” Laura hums, pulling her little brother into an embrace. “I’ll keep my trap shut, for you, Der.”

 

“I was going to invite Lydia over later tomorrow, though,” She continues. “I would very much like to spend time with her, preferably naked, whether or not she’s my mate.”

 

“Okay, gross,” Derek laughs. “Do you think she could be yours?”

 

“No idea,” Laura admits with a small frown. “It would be awesome if she was, but only time will tell.”

 

“Yeah,” Derek says, zillions of thoughts and situations flitting through his mind. “I guess so.”

 

He pushes up off the bed and up to his feet, stretching out his muscles, his joints popping pleasurefully. He plants a messy kiss on Laura’s cheek and dashes away, narrowly dodging the dirty sock she throws in his direction.

 

“Well,” He says at the door of her bedroom. “That was an enlightening chat, big sis, but I’m tired, so I’ll just leave you to fangirl over Mister America.”

 

“Hey!” Laura shouts as he walks down the hall. “Chris Evan’s ass was meant to be fangirled over!”

 

He smirks all the way to bed.

 

* * *

 

 

Derek spends the following day at the office, swamped with projects and important documents that Peter and some of the other higher-ups had decided would be fun to not do and just give to Derek to finish.

 

He loves his uncle, he does, but sometimes he wants to strangle the man or maybe just tell him to finish his own damn work, and Derek would _totally_ do that, except for the fact that Peter would probably break both his hands and still expect him to finish all the work that he was given.

 

And Derek tells his mom exactly that when she calls him during his lunch hour.

 

She chuckles softly, the sound warm and familiar in his ear. Derek can picture the look on her face, eyes crinkling around the edges, a faint smile on her lips.

 

“That’s Peter for you, kid,” she says. “The company is his life, y’know, his pride and joy.”

 

“I get that,” Derek murmurs. “But me dying from the inevitable stress isn't worth it, is it?”

 

His mom pauses for a second too long and Derek gasps over-dramatically.

 

“Mom!” Derek whines, pitch dangerously high. “I’m your favorite child! You're supposed to protect me!”

 

“Oh, honey,” His mom chides. “You know Cora is my favorite.”

 

Derek is so shocked that all he can do is bark out a laugh, the sound of his mom stifling a laugh is obvious even through the other side of the phone.

 

“You know I’m kidding,” she amends. “Don’t worry about it, when I come up there to visit I’ll be sure to tell Peter to cut you guys some slack.”

 

“Or you could just punch him in the gut,” Derek comments. “ _Then_ you could tell him to cut us some slack.”

 

“Hmm,” Derek hears. “Sounds like a plan, _but_ …”

 

_‘Oh, God, not a but,’_ Derek thinks, heart beginning to race. _‘Buts only lead to trouble or in Derek’s case, horrible embarrassment followed directly by misfortune.’_

 

“But?” Derek says anxiously. “What is it mom?”

 

“But..,” She says, tone serious now. “Only if I get to meet your boyfriend.”

 

_“Mooooooooom_ ,” Derek groans, remembering the photo Laura snapped of him right after kissing Stiles. “He’s not. _No_. We just met and-”

 

_“Derek Lee Hale,”_ his mom hisses, his hackles rising at the use of his full name. “You’re kissing boys that you don’t know!? I knew it! I told your father that New York changes people! Are you having unsafe sex with strangers too!?”

 

“Mom! No!” Derek blurts face feeling extremely hot, panic bubbling into his system. “Of course I wouldn’t! I meant- er, I didn’t… We met a while ago, but we’re sort of _just_ getting to know each other and I really like him, I think, but like I said we didn't meet to long ago so I don't want to, like, freak him out or anything by introducing him to my mother! Y’ know?”

 

“Right,” She responds, tone significantly _(thankfully)_ much calmer. “So you’re not having unprotected sex with random people you find on the street?”

 

“Really, mom?” Derek sighs. “That’s what you took from that?”

 

“Der, I just want you to be safe.” She adds, softly. “And I did hear what you said, by the way, I’m not alpha for no reason.”

 

“Sure, mom,” Derek smiles, unable to resist the resulting eye roll. “That’s why.”

 

“I get it, though,” She replies. “You don’t want me cramping your style or whatever.”

 

“No one says that anymore, oh mighty alpha,” Derek quips, earning a laugh from his mother. “But, yeah.”

 

There’s a loud knock on the door to his office and Derek can't help but jump slightly. The door swings open slightly and Peter pokes his head through the partially open door, sticking his tongue out, which, _childish much?_ Probably, but Derek does it back, crossing his eyes as well.

 

“Hold on, mom,” Derek says. “It’s Lord Peter, no doubt punishing me for doing something other than paper work.”

 

“Meeting in five,” Peter chuckles at the same time his mom says, “Don't think this conversation is over!”

 

Peter ducks out as quick as he came and when Derek hazards a look at the clock he realizes that his break was technically over ten minutes ago.

 

“I have a meeting with Peter in a bit,” Derek says, gathering some spreadsheets Peter left on his desk earlier with a sticky that said _‘For the meeting! Check for errors, plz!’_ “But I’ll call you back later, alright?”

 

“Alright, kiddo,” she says. “Just remember that if you don’t call, Laura will, and unlike you, she doesn't believe in the privacy of others!”

 

If that doesn't make Derek hastily scratch a reminder on his planner to call his mom back then he doesn't know what will.

 

“‘Kay, mom! Love you, bye,” Derek says on his way out to the meeting room. “I’ll try and Skype you later with Laura!”

 

“Perfect,” she murmurs happily. “Love you, kiddo, bye.”

 

With that Derek clicks his phone off and manages to duck into the elevator before the doors shut, attempting to slide his phone into his pocket while balancing a large stack of papers.

 

Peter is already in the lift, looking at Derek with narrowed eyes.

 

“So,” Peter starts, mouth quirking up at the corners. “When do _I_ get to meet your little boy toy?”

 

Derek sighs, head falling against the wall of the elevator, seriously questioning why he chose to work with his family.

 

* * *

 

 

The meeting with Peter ends up lasting for almost three hours, and Derek wouldn't mind except for the fact that he should have been home, like, two hours ago.

 

The sun has already begun to set when he finally gets out the office. The douchebag business men from Scotland who visited a few weeks ago have finally _(much to Peter’s delight and Derek’s annoyance)_ decided to sign the papers necessary to join forces with Hale Inc.

 

He’s happy for his uncle and the company, but he just wants to get home and shower and hop into bed for a while. Derek doesn't feel like waiting for the subway so he shells out the extra cash and hails down a cab instead.

  
  


Instead of the usual thirty minutes it takes him to get home it only takes ten, and Derek would take a cab all the time except for the fact that it cost him thirty-five dollars, which, no thanks, he’ll just stick to the good ol’ subways.

 

The sky has long since turned a deep gray, the air heavy and moist  signaling the rain to come. Derek’s about to walk into the building when he hears the most pitiful noise ever, aside from Laura whining. He steps back onto the sidewalk when he hears it again, and he soon realizes that it’s coming from the side of his building.

 

It’s started to drizzle, the water pelting his head lightly.

 

The noise reaches his ear again, this time much louder, and that’s when he spots the little thing. A small tabby kitten sitting on the sidewalk with the biggest, bluest eyes Derek’s ever seen. The kitten is so tiny, the rain making it’s fur look even darker gray than it already is.

When the kitten spots Derek it crawls over to him, rubbing it’s tiny head against the tip of his shoe. Being the absolute sap that Derek is, he can’t help but scoop up the little thing and tuck it under his arm, scratching at it’s head softly.

 

Doing a quick sex check, he finds that it’s a baby girl. She immediately starts purring when Derek runs his fingers along her back.

 

The rain starts coming down with more force and Derek decides then that it’s the kittens lucky day. He heads in and before he can even slip off his coat Laura is on him, a crazed look in her eyes.

 

“ _What_ is that thing?” She asks, face pinched.

 

The kitten hisses at Laura and Derek chuckles to himself, scratching behind the kittens ears.

 

“Good girl,” Derek praises, before turning to his sister. “Its’ a kitten, I know you're not the smartest girl around, but..”

 

“I know it’s a kitten, dumbass.” Laura growls. “Why do you have it?”

 

“Because, Laura, I’m a good person and because I do what I want.”

 

“You can’t keep that thing!” Laura hisses, causing the cat to hiss back. “You know I hate cats.”

 

“Too bad, I already love her too much.” Derek pouts. “I am keeping her, so just get over it now.”

 

Laura opens her mouth, no doubt ready to bicker and shout at Derek before he eventually gives in and sends the cat to the ASPCA, Lord knows it’s happened before, but her phone begins to rings, and the upset look on her face vanishes instantly.

 

“Lydia!” She says happily, although the look she sends Derek could kill. “Yeah, uh, of course! Or you could come over and we could just hang out? Yeah? Alright, awesome. See you soon!”

 

She quickly ends the call her face a blank canvas, she turns to Derek and sighs as if she’s dealing with the most irrational child she’s ever met, and if it means he gets to keep the cute little ball of fur in his arms then he will be the most irrational and stubborn man-child that ever lived.

 

“Derek,” Laura says, a tight smile on her face. “Lydia is coming over soon and that thing needs to be gone by then.”

 

Derek is ready to argue till his heart gives out, but Laura walks away as soon as she’s done talking, leaving Derek and his kitten standing in the middle of the living room feeling confused and only slightly triumphant.

 

He makes his way up to his room with his little bundle, planning on making a quick run to the store to get some cat essentials before giving the thing a bath and turning in for the night, leaving Laura to her date with Lydia.

 

* * *

 

 

Of course, being that he’s Derek Hale, nothing ever turns out the way he thinks it will.

 

He’s giving ‘ _Kitty’_ , as he’s dubbed her for now because he can’t come up with something better at the moment, a lukewarm bath in the sink when he hears the front door slam shut.

 

At first he just thinks it’s Laura, being annoying because he brought home the cat but the following thuds and bangs catch his attention; as do Laura yelling at him to get his ass downstairs.

 

“Derek!” She yells. “Get down here, now!”

 

He grabs Kitty, wrapping her in a towel before placing her in his bed. He'd be more worried about leaving her alone except for the fact that by the time he’s tucked her up she’s already nodding off to sleep.

 

He bounds down the stairs, taking two at a time, while trying not to break an ankle. The living room is empty as is the kitchen so the only other place they could be is the second bathroom. At first Derek thinks he being pranked until he’s hit by a wave of fear and panic and the scent of blood.

 

His instincts are on high alert and when he enters the small bathroom the smell is intensified tenfold.

 

He sees Laura with an immensely worried look on her face and next to her Lydia looks passive but the waves of anger rolling off of her are unmistakable.

 

Sitting on the side of the tub is Stiles.

 

Derek wouldn't be able to tell it was him, though, the entire right side of his face swollen, blood caked here and there. His clothes look awful, soaking wet and sticking to his skin displaying exactly how skinny he really is.

 

Derek swallows hard, breathing through his mouth so that he won’t have to smell all the different and frankly nauseating aromas.

 

“Stiles?” Derek says approaching the boy. Laura moves aside, letting Derek have some room to examine Stiles. His eye is practically swollen shut, his cheek too, blood covering the bruised skin. “What the hell happened?”

 

Stiles attempts to talk, although it’s obvious it hurts him to do so, but Lydia quickly shushes him, running a damp towel over his cheek, cleaning the skin.

 

“It was Scott, wasn't it?” Lydia asks. “I am going to kill him, Stiles, he can’t … you’re not a punching bag.”

 

Derek assumes that she said it to answer his question and to confirm what happened by Stiles.

 

The boy in question nods slightly, eyes downcast.

 

Derek can feel his eyes flash, and he clenches his jaw to keep from saying anything.

 

“Why did he do it this time?” Lydia asks flatly, lips pursed.

 

All Derek can think about is the face that she said _this time_. How many times has Stiles been beaten like this?

 

Stiles takes a deep breath before answering, “He.. I guess he found out that I was talking to someone else. I don't know.”

 

At this he looks up at Derek, only slightly, but the tidal wave of absolute _guilt_ that washes over Derek is unbelievable. Stiles is hurt because of Derek.

 

“Stiles,” Derek murmurs, crouching down to look Stiles in the eyes. “I am so sorry. I don’t .. I didn’t”

 

Stiles doesn't meet his eyes and Derek opens his mouth to spout out an explanation, and apology, _something_ , but he’s interrupted by Lydia.

 

“No,” She says, the anger that he smelled on her earlier increasing. “He did this  because he has problems. _Stiles look at me!”_

 

Stiles finally looks up, eyes watery, jaw clenched.

 

“Scott treats you like a punching bag because he has problems, okay? There is something wrong with him, and you don’t do anything so he keeps doing it!”

 

“You can’t let him keep doing this,” Lydia’s voice wavers, then, her own eyes becoming glassy. “I _refuse_ to find out that my best friend has been beaten to death because some asshole alpha is mental.”

 

The room is quiet, sans the soft, barely there sounds of breathing.

 

“I’m gonna go get the first aid kit,” Laura mumbles, a sad look on her face.

 

“Alright,” Lydia replies shortly. She continues to clean Stiles’ wounds, not saying a word otherwise.

 

Derek doesn't know what to say or do as Lydia methodically continues her work; Stiles lets her, flinching every now-and-then when Lydia presses against his skin too harshly.

  
  


Once Laura comes back Lydia is able to put some antiseptic on Stiles’ cuts, carefully dressing them up with some gauze from the first aid kit. Now that Stiles is finally cleaned up Derek can see how thin and tired Stiles actually looks. It’s the worse that Derek has ever seen him look. No doubt soaked to the bone, shivering and broken and all around rundown.

 

It’s mindboggling how different Stiles looks now compared to the first time Derek ever saw him. He still looked worn out, but still undeniably young and and fresh and not beaten to a pulp; looking at him now makes Derek’s chest twist painfully.

 

“I think… I should probably go now,” Stiles murmurs. “It’s getting late and -”

 

“Stiles,” Lydia blurts. “Where are you going to go?”

 

Stiles opens his mouth opens and shortly thereafter closes it and he rubs tiredly at his eyes.

 

“Stay here,” Derek suggests, hoping for the best. “I - you should stay here where I .. we could watch out for you.”

 

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” Stiles starts. “I shouldn’t.”

 

“You will,” Laura states, sounding exactly _(disturbingly)_ like their mom. “You are staying the night because it’s still raining outside and because I know we’ve only known you for a little over a month or so, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that we love you way too much to let you leave right now.”

 

“Agreed,” Lydia says sternly. “I’ll stay too.”

 

Stiles looks ready to back out, to make an excuse and Derek just isn't having it.

 

“Seriously, Stiles,” Derek says. “Just stay the night. No offense, but you look like you need the rest. Laura's right, it’s still pouring outside, anyway.”

 

Derek’s statement is punctuated by a loud burst of thunder, which is a little bit creepy but mostly awesome. Outside, the sound of rain crashing against the building and the windows proves his point furthermore.

 

“You know he’s right, Stiles,” Lydia adds. “We all are, so you are going to go take a shower and when you come back down we’re going hangout, alright?”

 

“Yeah,” Stiles concedes, finally. “Alright. I don’t have any clean clothes, though.”

 

“Oh, don’t worry,” Laura smiles. “I’m sure Derek will lend you some, right, Der?”

 

Derek feels a bit caught off guard when everyone turns to him awaiting an answer, and he attempts to smile to hide his nervousness even though he’s sure it looks more like a grimace.

 

Stiles smiles slightly while Lydia and Laura both roll their eyes.

 

“Of course,” Derek says. “Come on, Stiles.”

 

He can’t help feel his nerves start up as he guides Stiles to his room, leaving the girls downstairs.

 

When they reach the bedroom door, Derk pauses before going in, turning to face Stiles.

 

"Stiles, I'm sorry that I-" Derek murmurs. "I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you or anything like that."

 

“Derek, no,” Stiles says, an apologetic look etched on his swollen face. “You have nothing to be sorry for, it.. I should be apologizing to you for even putting you in this situation”

 

Derek sends tiles a small smile. “I’m kinda glad you did, or I never would have met you.”

  
  


“Ohmygod,” Stiles grins, barking out a harsh laugh. “That is the cheesiest thing I've even heard, Derek.”

 

Derek laughs too, because even he has to admit it was a tad too cheesy, but he can’t help it, he’s a romantic at heart; and it made Stiles laugh, so its not that bad. He pushes into his room and heads straight for his dresser to grab some clothes for Stiles to wear.

 

“Don't pretend you weren't ready to swoon.”

 

“Yeah,” He hears Stiles say. “I almost did, but - Derek, why is there poop on your bed?”

 

Derek almost gives himself whiplash when he turns around, dresser completely forgotten.

 

“Oh god, no,” Derek mummbles, eyes frantically searching the room for a gray little fuzzball.

 

“Derek,” Stiles says uncertainty. “I feel like I’m missing something…”

 

“She’s gone. I was only gone for, like, thirty minutes,” Derek explains. “I found a kitten earlier and.. she couldn’t have gotten far, right? The door was closed, so…”

 

“Derek,” Stiles says. “Breath, dude.”

 

Derek inhales deeply, nodding his head.

 

“Alright, that’s good,” Stiles tells him. “Now. You found a kitten and left it in your bed while you went downstairs?”

 

“Yeah,” Derek replies. “I gave Kitty a bath and she fell asleep, so I just left her to sleep in the bed and then Laura called for me.”

 

“You named the kitten ‘Kitty’?” Stiles asks, an almost incredulous smile on his face.

 

“Yeah,” Derek admits, unable to stop the color from rushing to his cheeks, a bit embarrassed.

 

“You’re adorable, Derek Hale,” Stiles murmurs almost to quiet for Derek to hear,and then louder, “Okay, let’s find Kitty before she get’s into trouble.”

 

Derek quickly removes Kitty’s poop from the sheets before throwing them into the dirty laundry hamper. They make quick work tearing the room apart in search of the tiny feline without much luck on Derek’s side. He’s about to give up home until he hears Stiles call for him from his bathroom.

 

“I found her!” Stiles proclaims triumphantly.

 

Derek rushes over and finds Stiles hunched over on all fours, reaching under the tub. Derek would totally be lying if he said he wasn’t checking Stiles out just a little bit.

 

“Come here, cutie,” Stiles coos. “That’s it, come to Stiles.”

 

Stiles stands up a tad too slow, wincing slightly, reminding Derek that Stiles isn’t in the best condition to be on a cat hunt.

 

“She’s so tiny,” Stiles says, rubbing behind Kitty’s ears, and she licks the inside of his wrist in return. “I never thought someone like you would want a cat.”

 

“Why do you say that?” Derek asks walking back into the room.

 

“I thought, y’know, you’d be more into dogs or whatever,” Stiles explains. “Especially since you’re so big and, uh, muscular or whatever. I thought you’d like a big dog.”

 

“Really?” Derek asks. “You think I’m muscular? And big?”

 

Stiles blushes slightly, laughing nervously while attempting to use Kitty to shield his face.

 

“No.” Stiles blurts, pushing Kitty into Derek's’ arms. “I think.. I think I should go take my shower now, like I was gonna do, before we… I’m gonna, yeah.”

 

“I’ll leave some clothes on the sink for you,” Derek amends. “Use whatever you need.”

 

Stiles nods, color still noticeable high on his not swollen cheekbone before heading into the bathroom. Derek places Kitty on the bed before heading back over to the dresser to grab some clothes for Stiles to wear, he finds some of his older sweatpants that Stiles might be able to fit along with an old lacrosse shirt from high school.

 

He leaves the clothes for Stiles on the sink as promised before heading back to check on Kitty. She purrs happily when Derek runs his fingers along her spine, her tiny back arching into his palm.

 

Derek turns on the tv and flips until he finds something decent on, pleased when he finds out that TNT is running a Supernatural marathon. Derek lets Kitty crawl all over his arm, nibbling and scratching his arm like a maniac.

 

Kitty is still using Derek as her own personal cat post when Stiles finally emerges from the bathroom. His hair sticks to his forehead and the clothes hang a bit too loosely on his frame; Stiles already looks better, clean and fresh, his skin a rich shade of ivory instead, a welcome change from the almost transparent grey. The side of his face that was injured not as swollen as before.

 

“You look better,” Derek comments, offhandedly.

 

“Thanks,” Stiles replies, then. “You went to Beacon Hills high?”

 

“Yeah,” Derek looks up and Stiles is playing with the hem on his shirt. “My family lives there, we visit sometimes, why?”

 

“My dad is the sheriff there,” Stiles explains, a slight smile on his face. “I played lacrosse, too.”

 

“No way,” Derek says. “I don’t remember seeing you around or anything.”

 

“I was kind of a loser,” Stiles says, walking over to sit on the bed. “I started school late; you probably graduated and left before I even started ninth grade.”

 

“It’s a small world, afterall,” Derek murmurs. “Were you any good at it?”

 

“At what? Lacrosse?” Stiles asks distractedly as Kitty forgets about Derek and crawls into Stiles’ lap, licking at his fingers. At Derek’s affirmative nod, Stiles snorts, “I was pretty bad, but I was just glad to be on the team.”

 

“We should practice sometime,” Derek offers. “I still have my old gear.”

 

“That would be cool,” Stiles says. “You’d probably destroy me, though.”

 

_I would love to destroy you_ , Derek’s inner pervert says. He feels a tad guilty for thinking it, and he internally scolds himself for it.

 

“You can't be that bad,” Derek replies.

 

“Please,” Stiles snorts. “Coach told me that his dead grandmother was faster than me.”

 

“Ouch,” Derek laughs. “Finstock?”

 

“Yes!” Stiles bursts. “Guy was a complete nutjob.”

 

The bedroom door swings open, slamming against the wall with a loud thud; making both Stiles and Derek jump out of their skins. Standing in the doorway are Laura and Lydia looking severely disappointed.

 

“What do you want, _psycho_?” Derek asks, heart still pumping, how did he not hear them coming up the stairs?

 

“Well,” Laura says. “We were hoping to catch you and Stiles dry humping or somthing.”

 

“Laura!” Derek gasps, embarrassed beyond belief.

 

“She’s just kidding,” Lydia slaps Laura on the arm, smirk on her face. “We came up here because we-”

 

“We were wondering was taking so long,” Laura interrupts. “And…”

 

“ _And_ ,” Lydia says, hotly. “We were wondering if we could commandeer the living room for girls night?”

 

“Girls night?” Stiles says. “What’s so special about girls night that we can’t join?”

 

“Girls night is code for ‘making out heavily on the couch,’ Laura mock whispers.

 

“Ew,” Derek says at the same time Stiles says, “TMI.”

 

“She's kidding,” Lydia says. “ Sort of, but regardless, have a good night, boys.”

 

“Nighty night!” Laura chirps as she closes the door behind her.

 

“Well,” Stiles says. “I believe we've just been sexiled.”

 

“No problem,” Derek says. “We'll just have a guys night in here.”

 

“Let’s do it,” Stiles agrees. “What do you think, Kitty? Sound fun?”

 

In response the kitten meows happily and Stiles coos over her, giving her a kiss between the eyes.

 

“Okay,” Derek says, starting up Netflix. “Which sounds better? Hemlock Grove or Arrested Development?”

 

“Uhm,” Stiles murmurs, stretching out on the bed. “I've never seen Hemlock Grove, so..”

 

“You've never seen Hemlock Grove?” Derek asks, a tad shocked. “Sit back and relax, because you are in for a great show.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Stiles mock salutes, settling into the bed.

  
  


They get through about three episodes before Derek can feel himself nodding off. He looks over and finds Stiles in the same situation he’s in, eyes glazed over and breathing getting slower and slower. Kitty already fast asleep in between them.

 

“I can sleep on the floor if you want,” Derek offers quietly.

 

“Its fine,” Stiles yawns. “You’re so warm, like my own space heater.”

 

“Okay,” Derek chuckles. “If you say so.”

 

“I do,” Stiles mumbles, already half-asleep. “Kitty and I are very satisfied with our werewolf space heater. 10 outta 10. Would recommend.”

 

“Go to sleep, Stiles,” Derek says turning off the tv. “You’re sleep drunk.”

 

“Don't tell me what to do,” Stiles replies, saucily. “Just go to sleep, Derek.”

 

“Alright,” Derek says, getting comfortable. “Goodnight, bossy.”

 

He gets a light snore in response and Derek takes that as his cue to get some shut eye.

 

Derek is on the verge of unconsciousness when he feels the bed shift ever so slightly, a puff of warm air misting over his face. At first he thinks it’s just Kitty until he feels the press of soft lips against his, so quick he thinks he made it up in his mind. Derek doesn't dare move a muscle even though his heart is pounding against his ribs, ready to burst from his chest.

 

“Goodnight, Der,” Stiles whispers. “Sweet dreams.”

  
  


That night Derek falls asleep with a smile on his face.

 

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow, wow, wow. It's been around six months since I've updated and I am so sorry. I'm going to seriously try and finish this bad boy up for you guys before summer 2015!

Derek wakes up because he’s being suffocated.

 

Or at least it feels like it. On his chest Stiles snores away happily, entirely oblivious to the fact that he’s squeezing all the air out of Derek’s lungs. He attempts to shift Stiles to the side but all that does is make Stiles move in closer to Derek, puffing warm air on his neck. It really doesn’t help that Stiles’ is sprawled on top of him, hot and pliant, which means that he’s pressing down heavily on Derek’s morning wood. He really needs to go piss and deal with this; alone.

 

Should he just wake Stiles up? Would that be rude or something? Maybe he should just try pushing Stiles off again.

 

He can spot Kitty out of the corner of his eye, licking at her paws on his dresser, watching Derek struggle with little interest. She meows and proceeds to jump off and away, leaving Derek to his own devices.

 

The sun is almost blinding through the windows and Derek's bladder is starting to feel exceptionally full. He finally takes a deep breath and rolls Stiles over until he’s completely off. Stiles doesn’t react at all, and Derek would be really worried that he was dead if it wasn’t for the soft snores coming from him.

 

He quickly heads off to the bathroom to relieve his bladder and start his morning routine. Thankfully, by the times he’s done brushing his teeth and washing the crud out of his eyes, his erection has disappeared completely.

 

When he finally steps out of the bathroom, he notices that Stiles has managed to claim all the blankets for himself, having wrapped himself into a cocoon of blankets . Derek steps over and spots the dark bruises that cover Stiles’ face, his eye a deep shade of purple. It makes him ridiculously angry that someone could attack Stiles so brutally. Derek gently runs his fingers over the bruise covering Stiles’ cheek and decides to take some of the pain that he knows Stiles is carrying. It’s probably the reason he’s so tired, as well. Derek focuses and can soon feel the aches and pain leech from Stiles body and into his own. His veins turning black, Derek’s head immediately starts to hurt, but he clenches his jaw, trying to take away as much of the hurt from Stiles as he can.

 

He hasn't done this since he was little. When him and Cora were out playing outside one day and she had somehow managed to trip over a rock, twisting her ankle. He was about ten at the time and Cora only six. She was crying so badly and Derek couldn’t just sit there and do nothing while his little sister sobbed in pain. Only weeks earlier his mother had told him that they had the ability to help others. To take pain away from people and help them heal faster.

 

When he had done it, he was amazed, even though he felt the pain flow within his body. Cora’s ankle had started to heal on it’s own accord and when he had told his mother, she said that it only healed so fast because Derek was there to help speed up the process. He was just glad that he could help others. It made him feel better about who and what he was.

Now he really was glad that he could help others. Derek broke the contact between him and Stiles a few minutes later when his migraine became too much to handle, his temples pounding. He just hoped that Stiles would feel better when he finally awoke.

 

Derek tip toes down the stairs to see what Laura and Lydia are up to, hopefully they’re dressed. It was way too early to see anything like that. When he creeps into the kitchen he finds it eerily quiet, no sign of either girl. He walks over to the fridge to pour himself a glass of orange juice, he notices a note on the font of the door.

 

_“Hey guys. We decided to go out for brunch since you were both still asleep!_

_-Love, L & L”_

 

Derek rolls his eyes and looks at the clock. Whoa, it was already past noon. He had no idea that Stiles and him had slept in that late. He’d go upstairs and wake the other boy, but Stiles needs the sleep.

 

His stomach grumbles and it’s then that Derek decides to whip up some breakfast for the two of them, since Laura and Lydia have probably already eaten. He grabs some eggs and bacon out of the fridge, planning to keep it simple, before on turning the stove. The bacon is thrown into the oven before he quickly beats the eggs and pours them into the hot pan.

 

Derek never was a good cook.

 

He only leaves the food unattended for, like, a minute before the fire alarm blares to life. The shrieking noise is deafening to his sensitive hearing and he covers his ears before practically kicking the pan off the stove. The eggs are black on the bottom and the pan, along with the scorched eggs, falls onto the floor with a loud clang.

 

Derek curses and searches for the source of the sound before ripping the alarm off the wall. It still shrieks in his hand and he crushes it, the annoying noise finally gone.

 

Standing at the base of the staircase is a sleep rumpled Stiles and a scared Kitty in his arms, her ears flat against her skull and pupils blown. She was probably frightened by the loud alarm.

 

“Sorry,” Derek says, ashamed. “I guess I’m not as good as a cook as I thought I was.”

 

The corners of Stiles’ lips turn up slightly, and he chuckles.

 

“It’s fine.” Stiles grumbles, moving in to examine the damage. “I’m not that great in the kitchen, either. When I was sixteen, I left lasagna in the oven and fell asleep. My dad had to replace the entire thing, it was so ruined. He was not happy.”

 

“That makes me feel marginally less embarrassed,” Derek admits. “I wanted to let you sleep in, you seemed like you needed it.”

 

“I actually feel really good.” Stiles shares. “No aches or anything. I think your bed is magical or something, drained all the bad out of me.”

 

Derek is remembers all the pain that he took from Stiles while he was sleeping. He’s just glad that Stiles wasn’t in any pain when he woke up. He doesn't know why, but he blushes. Stiles’ inadvertent praises getting the better of him.

 

Stiles catches his slightly guilty look and nods in understanding.

 

“Or that was you that took away all my pain?” He questions mildly. “I’ve heard that you guys can do that.”

 

“I shouldn’t have done it without asking,” Derek says. “You just -”

 

“Derek, are you kidding?” Stiles asks, setting Kitty down on the floor. “I’m really thankful that you would do that for me, but doesn't it hurt you, to do it?”

 

Derek doesn’t say that he was in pain, even though he was. In fact, he was nauseous with the hurt, but he’d gladly do it again if it meant that he was in agony instead of Stiles. He was a wolf, he could handle it, but Stiles was human. He can’t imagine how Stiles was able to get around dealing with such aches.

 

“Not really,” Derek lies. “I- I can do it again, if you don’t feel well.”

 

“You’re something, else, Derek,” Stiles remarks. “Thank you. For everything. Is it cheesy if I say I feel like I’m in a fairy tale and you’re like prince charming or something?”

 

“Kind of,” Derek laughs. “But I won’t judge you.”

 

Stiles snorts, but doesn’t say anything. He steps in closer to the older man and places his hand on Derek’s cheek. Derek is about the same height as Stiles, just much bulkier, and right now he feels so vulnerable.  

 

He doesn't know what he’s thinking, but he erases the space between them and kisses Stiles.

 

Surprisingly, Stiles kisses him back. Pressing up against Derek, tentatively before becoming more aggressive. He deepens the kiss, biting at Derek’s bottom lip, cause a deep rumble to erupt from within his chest. Derek wraps his palm around Stiles’ slender waist and goes for it.

 

The two of them are soon lost in their own world, tongues twisting against each other. Breathing each other in, relying on their sense of touch instead of sight. Derek gets so lost in the kiss that he doesn’t realize that his teeth have started to sharpen. He only notices when he bites Stiles lip, piercing the skin. The taste of blood sharp and tangy on his tongue.

 

Stiles breaks away with a quiet hiss, breathing harshly.

 

“Sorry,” Derek says, then. “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

 

“Derek. I- I like you,” Stiles sighs, licking his lip, a determined look in his eyes. Derek’s heart skips a beat at the confession. Perhaps Derek can end up having Stiles for his own, even though he knows that Stiles has enough problems as it is, aside from having to deal with Derek.

 

“You don’t sound happy about that,” Derek murmurs, easing away from Stiles, his hands dropping to his sides.

 

“It’s just… I have a boyfriend,” Stiles rushes. “Sort of. I don’t know anymore. I - I don’t want to be with him, but…”

 

“But?” Derek asks, confused and a bit hurt. “Tell him that, if that’s how you really feel.”

 

“How do you think I got this black eye?” Stiles asks quietly.

 

It’s then that Derek is reminded of moment on the subway. When he had just gotten off work and had spotted Stiles with that other guy. He remembers how angry and uncomfortable he had been just listening to how the guy was talking to Stiles.

 

_“If you ever left me, I don’t know what I’d do. I mean, if I can’t have you, then neither can anyone else, you know?”_

Derek remembers how his blood had boiled in those moments.

 

_“You’re hurting me, Scott.”_

 

He remembers the guys face instantly, and can’t help but blurt out his name.

 

“Scott?” Derek questions and Stiles eyes widen in surprise.

 

“How do you know Scott?” Stiles asks quickly. “Has he said anything to you? Did he-?”

 

“I saw you together, once, awhile ago,” Derek admits. “I .. Stiles. I know that we haven't known each other long, but you shouldn’t be with someone who hurts you like this.”

 

Stiles laughs mirthlessly. His eyes water slightly, and he sniffs and quickly rubs at the tears that threatened to fall.

 

“Oh, god,” Stiles says, voice shaky. “He’s my bestfriend. I can’t just leave him. We’ve been through everything together.”

 

“He wasn’t always like this,” Stiles says, touching his slightly swollen cheek. “For years it was fine, he was human, at one point. Then he was bitten by some rogue.”

 

Stiles goes to sit on the couch. He grabs Derek by the wrist and brings Derek with him, the two of the sitting exceptionally close.

 

“Did you ever find the rogue?” Derek finds himself surprised. Biting someone without their consent is a serious crime, punishable by death. He doesn't know what to say, with Stiles being so open with him.

 

“No,” Stiles answers. “I helped him control himself, though, helped him find an anchor. Things were great for a while. Eventually we realized that we were more than friends, I was happy for once.”

 

Stiles takes a deep breath.

 

“And then the Alpha pack came around.” Stiles says, swallowing harshly. “Things went downhill fast after that.”

 

Derek remembers hearing about a pack compiled of just alphas treading around California, running a muck. Things had gotten so bad that the police had contacted his mother along with a few other high ranking alpha’s in the area to find out what was going on.

 

His mom had told him that they would tear themselves apart, from the inside, because of the lack of proper hierarchy. She was right, of course, as news had quickly spread that the infamous ‘Alpha Pack’ had disbanded. Four of the six members of the pack were found dead, the other two disappearing without a trace.

 

“What did they do?” Derek questions, intrigued.

 

“They wanted to expand and asked Scott to join,”

 

“But he wasn’t an alpha?” Derek blurted, “You said he was bitten, he couldn’t be an alpha unless…”

 

“He killed another alpha,” Stiles whispers. “He was different after that. He was mean and angry all the time, and those alpha asshole only made it worse.”

 

“He had them, so I tried to leave,” Stiles continues. “I told him that I didn’t want to be with him anymore and he got so mad. He hit me right in the jaw. I was so shocked that I didn’t know what to do.”

 

“Stiles,” Derek interrupts. “You don’t have to tell me this.”

 

“I know,” Stiles murmurs. “I want to. I don’t want to have to keep it a secret anymore.”

 

“Am I the only one who knows about this?”  Derek is shocked. “You said that your dad is the sheriff, can’t he do anything?”

 

“I’ve thought about telling him so many times,” Stiles replies softly. “He’d go after Scott with a loaded twelve-gauge, but in the end he’s just human, and Scott is a rage-filled werewolf.”

 

Derek understands. He doesn’t want to risk his father’s safety. It makes him excessively angry, but he understands nonetheless.

 

“Lydia knows some stuff, too,” Stiles adds. “She walked in on me trying to stitch up my side and made me tell her.”

 

“Stiles, this is insane,” Derek interjects. “An alpha is supposed to protect, not hurt.”

 

“What am I supposed to do, Derek?” Stiles asks shrilly. “I am afraid. What if- what if he kills me? We’ve been friends forever, but when Scott gets angry, he goes into tunnel vision and he just rages out.”

 

“Stiles, you have people who will protect you,” Derek says fiercely. “Lydia, your dad. Hell, myself and the rest of Hale pack officially have your back.”

 

“That rhymed,” Stiles whispers with a ghost of a smile. “Derek. I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like you.”

 

The two of them sit close together on the couch for what feels like ages before there’s a loud banging on the door. They both startle as the metal warps behind the force of the knocking.

 

Derek’s instincts immediately go into overdrive. Canines sharpening and claws extending, he practically leaps from the couch and into a defensive position. Behind him, he can fear Stiles’ heartbeat ratchet up, the smell of fear slightly overwhelming.

 

Kitty scampers up the stairs and Derek doesn't know what to do, the only thoughts running through his mind being protect, protect, protect.

 

“No, no, no,” Stiles whispers afraid. “Not now,”

 

“Stiles?!” He hears from the other side of the door. “Stiles! Open the damn door!”

 

The banging grows fiercer before the door eventually gives and bends open.

 

Before him stands the guy from the subway. His eyes are blood red and he looks beyond furious. He takes one look at Stiles, in clothes that are way too big for him, presumably smelling like another wolf, and he pounces towards Stiles.

 

Derek jumps in the way and the two tangle into a mess of limbs and growls. Derek feels himself lose control and before he knows it, his wolf takes over. The last thing he hears is Stiles, worriedly shouting his name.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this short bit between Stiles and Derek was sort of enjoyable to read and if not, then the next parts should be a bit more action-y and stuff. Idk.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Omg, it's actually done. Someone mark the date! I actually finished a multi-chapter work!
> 
> I wouldn't have gotten it done without my lovely and amazing co-author/beta *keeperofstories* so give her a millions kisses and thanks and ask why she hasn't posted any works of her own because she basically perfected the entire last chapter! 
> 
> Anyway, without further ado, enjoy!!!

Derek feels aggression swell under his skin and in his bones every time Scott punches him. He snarls in pain as every well timed hit from Scott lands on his abused body, tearing his flesh apart. The pain is unlike anything he’s ever felt, but it doesn’t stop him from fighting back. He takes immense satisfaction from the sound of bone connecting with flesh, from seeing Scott’s head snap around and come back torn and bloody; Derek almost howls when he hears a grunt of pain after a particularly sharp jab connects with the alpha’s ribs. The scent of Scott’s pain is heady and Derek is quickly lost in the need to bite, scratch, and tear until all that’s left is broken bones and severed flesh.

  
  


Scott’s rage mirrors his own and seems to leave twice the amount of damage. Derek feels his skin trying to stitch into place, the sharp sear as skin and bone slowly try to knit back together an added agony as the alpha leaves new marks. Derek blinks furiously, frantically trying to clear his vision after a well placed punch connects with his jaw. The sickening crack reverberates in his ears and all he can see is red but Derek can still feel Scott’s body. He presses forward, focusing on where he had connected with the ribs before, slamming his fist over and over, waiting for the bone to give and the ribs to break. He ignores the blows of Scott’s elbow to his face as he concentrates, waiting, until he growls out his dominance and Scott falls away.

 

All he can feel is Scott. An enemy. Someone who wants to hurt him and Stiles. Derek’s vision tunnels as those sort of thoughts surge through his mind.

 

All he can think about is winning. For the first time in his life, he wants to dominate and control. The need surging through his every fibre and dictating every precise move. He’s not sure if he likes it. The smell of blood permeates the air, the metallic scent growing stronger as blood flows freely between them, spreading across the floor and splattering the walls. It’s barbaric and strange but Derek’s wolf can’t get enough of it. By now his fangs have dropped completely, along with his claws; his body shifting halfway with the rush of adrenaline flooding through his veins.

 

His consciousness seems to drift somewhere else while his wolf takes full control of his body. Derek realizes that he’s never been in an actual fight before. Of course, he’s sparred with his family; Laura and his dad especially. It’s a part of his life and always has been, but he’d never thought that he’d actually be fighting someone. Never thought he could crave another’s death so much.

 

Somewhere in between thinking about ripping Scott’s throat out with his teeth and wondering if he actually has the guts to murder someone, Derek loses his grip on the alpha. They’re a mess of limbs, rolling around like dogs, but in that split second Scott is able to flip Derek onto his back. The wind is knocked out of his lungs and he blacks out for a millisecond.

 

Scott bares his fangs, pinning Derek’s arms above his head. He thrashes underneath the alpha, but he isn’t able to move away from Scott’s death grip.

 

Scott’s won.

 

They both realize it at the same time. Derek grits his teeth in anger while Scott smiles in triumph. The sight wrests a murderous growl from Derek’s throat and he gnashes his teeth in desperation, his wolf writhing in agony at having been proved weak.

 

Around him he can hear Stiles’ vain attempts to break up the fight, shouting at them both to stop. Derek can’t acknowledge him, though, the embarrassment of losing causing him to flush in shame. Thoughts of Scott hurting Stiles because he was too weak to protect him consume his thoughts. He envisions more bruises, more broken bones, a vibrant spirit crushed in Scott’s fist. He pictures Stiles’ death and it’s then that Derek realizes that he can’t lose. He won’t lose.

 

It’s like a switch is flipped.

 

The anger from earlier returns ten fold, hitting Derek like a sledgehammer to the skull. Scott’s grip against his wrists lessens significantly, his attention already turning towards Stiles. After that, it’s easy for Derek to break the alpha’s hold completely. The surprised look on Scott’s face is priceless, eyes widening in panic as Derek pushes him off and to the floor. He growls as he falls onto his side, but quickly rights himself and looks ready to go in for another attack but Derek doesn’t give him the chance.

 

Derek pounces, shoving the other man back to the floor. Derek wrenches Scott’s arm behind him as he places all his weight on the knee digging into the alpha’s back. It’s obvious that the position is painful from Scott’s high pitched whines, but Derek can’t risk the chance that he’s only pretending, so he grabs Scott’s other arm and tries to force it above his head. He can’t quite keep his grip on both arms and Scott takes the opportunity to brutally dig his claws into Derek’s forearm. He can feel as they slice through the skin and into muscle but he maintains his control and twists Scott’s bound arm back even further.

 

“Lydia! Get back here now!” He can hear Stiles’ worried voice around him, the faint crackle of a voice telling him that Stiles is probably on the phone. “Now!”

 

Derek tunes him out. Now isn’t the time to be distracted, not when he finally has the upper hand in this brawl. Scott’s grip on Derek’s arm tightens and Derek roars in pain and anger when he feels the bone start to fracture.

 

Surprisingly, Scott flinches. He attempts to growl back at Derek, but it does nothing to him, if anything, it makes him want to laugh. Derek feels… strange.

 

His body begins to shake, his eyes too, if that’s even possible. Everything around him turns red.

 

He isn’t sure how long he sits there with Scott in his grasp, but the sound of footsteps manages to shake him out of his haze. The smell of family hits his nose and he knows that Laura’s here now. He’s not brave enough to look, not when he’s barely restraining someone who wants his entrails on the outside of his body.

 

“Laura, help him!” He hears Lydia plead. “He’s bleeding.”

 

“No!” Derek grits out. At the same time Laura shouts. “I can’t.”

 

It’s a law, in the werewolf community. Receiving help from anyone during a fight, whether it be family, friends, or pack is forbidden. It’s always been that way; if a wolf can’t hold their own, then they don’t deserve to live. It’s the first law every werewolf learns and their mother made sure they understood it, ingraining the belief into them.

 

“What the hell,” Stiles questions angrily. “Can’t? We have to do something?!”

 

“No, Stiles,” Laura says, her voice raspy. “It’s- they have to fight this out. It’s the only way.”

 

“This is ridiculous,” Lydia shouts. “Laura!”

 

Scott struggles even more as the shouting grows louder.

 

“Both of you, stop!” Laura growls annoyed.

 

Stiles and Lydia radiate frustration and confusion when Laura does nothing to help her brother, but they do manage to stay quiet. They don’t understand werewolf customs, how could they? The redness in his vision comes back when Scott thrashes so hard he almost bucks Derek off sideways. Derek holds his ground, his breath heavy as blood trails down his arm. His face is red hot from the punches but he can't give up now. He watches Scott with sharp eyes, waiting for his next move while trying to catch his breath.

 

Scott does the same thing, his chest heaving up and down, shirt torn and covered in blood. Derek can see him bleeding from his shoulder to his stomach.

 

They’re at a draw.

 

Derek’s just glad he was able to hold his own for this long, tension seeping from his body. He takes another deep breath, but there doesn’t seem to be any air left. Spooked, Derek’s breathing speeds up; his body attempting to compensate for the temporary lack of oxygen and for the first time in his life he can’t breathe at all. His lungs feel infinitely too small and he gasps, desperate for air. He clutches his chest and wills his heart and lungs to work

 

“Derek!?” Laura questions, concerned. “Fuck, Der-”

 

His bones shift and then everything feels like it’s on fire. Holy fuck, can bones melt? It sure fucking feels like it. Pressure builds behind Derek’s eyes and his awareness fades away on a wave of fire before rushing back with a suddenness that throws Derek back a pace.

 

Scott seems like he’s going in for another attack, but Derek stops him before he can land any punches.

 

Derek’s wolf sings praises to the moon and he slams Scott against the wall. He bellows into Scott’s face, he can feel raw power in his bones and his soul and Scott actually whimpers. He pushes the alpha against the wall as hard as he can, as if the wall will swallow him up. Anger still mars Scott’s face, but he stops trying to force Derek off. In return, Derek backs off slightly, leaving around two feet between them. Scott brushes a wrinkle out of his shirt and stands proud.

 

“What are you?” Scott rumbles, a barely audible hitch to his voice.

 

When he gets no response, he turns to Stiles. His face morphing from aggressive to hurt and soft. Ever the manipulator.

 

“Stiles,” Scott whines. “Why are you doing this?”

 

All eyes turn to the boy in question and it’s obvious the attention makes him nervous, as he seems unsure of what to say or do.

 

“I don’t- I’m not going to let you bully me anymore,” Stiles admits. “I realized I deserve love without condition and you’re not capable of giving that to me, anymore”

 

Scott makes a pained noise from the corner. He sounds genuinely hurt and Derek can’t help but flinch in sympathy. The movement aggravates his injuries and, unnoticed by the group consumed by the unfolding drama, Derek hisses in pain.

 

“You can’t be serious,” Scott pleads, face screwed up in confusion. “We’ve known each other forever! I love you!”

 

“No, Scott!” Stiles yells. His eyes are watering dangerously and he sucks in a deep breath. “You don’t love me or else you wouldn’t treat me the way you do! I loved you and you treated me like shit! Traded me in for power and people who don’t give a flying fuck about you! You changed!”

 

Scott says nothing. Clenching his jaw and shaking his head in denial.

 

“I don’t love you anymore, Scott,” Stiles says determinedly. “And to be honest, I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon.”

 

“Really?” Scott says. The soft look in his eyes disappears completely, replaced by malice. “You don’t love me anymore? Everything we’ve been through together- you’re leaving me for him? Them?”

 

“This has nothing to do with him or them and you know it,” Stiles blurts. He’s still angry, but Scott’s comment has softened Stiles’ attitude noticeably. Scott makes a move forward but a growl finds its way out of Derek’s mouth, freezing Scott in place. “I’m still your friend, Scott. Deep down I’ll always care about you, even if we have our problems. You know that.”

 

“Please,” Scott scoffs. “You're absolutely unbelievable. You cheat on me and have the audacity to claim that we can still be friends? To say that you care about me?”

 

Stiles doesn't say anything, inhaling deeply. His lip wobbles but he doesn’t cry. Derek feels pride swell his chest.

 

“You have new loyalties, now, it seems,” Scotts says, a look of disgust plastered across his face. “You should lose my number until you remember how much I’ve done for you.”

 

Scott stalks past Derek and out the door, making sure to bump into Derek, but he lets it slide because he knows the alpha just wants another fight.

 

The smell of sadness and hurt permeates the loft. As does confusion but Derek focuses instead on the sound of Scott’s retreat,  waiting until he can no longer hear the other alpha’s heartbeat. Derek quickly looks over to Stiles. Sadness radiates off the boy but underneath that he looks taller, stronger in a way. Next to him, Laura and Lydia stare, unsure of what to do now that the situation is apparently over.

 

“You alright?” Derek mumbles through the pain in his jaw, reaching a hand out towards Stiles.

 

“I should be asking you that,” Stiles says softly, gathering himself.

 

He wants to tell him that everything will be fine, now, but he doesn’t get the chance. As soon as he takes a step forward, the room spins alarmingly fast around him. “Derek?”

 

Derek’s knees give out and he falls to the floor like a sack of bricks. Stiles rushes to Derek’s side, brows furrowed in worry. He’s supporting Derek as much as he can, being that Derek has a good twenty pounds on him. They both hit the floor and he cradles Derek’s head and neck in a light grip, running a cool palm over Derek’s forehead.

 

“You’re burning up,” Stiles tells him, running his palm over the side of Derek’s jaw that’s not injured and down to his throat, pressing lightly against his skin, presumably checking for a pulse. “Just- please. Try to stay awake.”

 

Derek’s vision swims, an unsettling lethargy overtakes him and no matter how much he struggles against it, his eyes close. He can feel his blood seeping out of his body, his breathing getting shallower. He wonders if he’s dying. Of all the ways to go, him bleeding out on the loft floor after kicking an alpha’s ass does seem pretty cool, though.

 

Voices, loud and high in pitch, derail his train of thought. Derek feels detached from his body, struggling to understand the voices around him. It shouldn’t be this hard, especially for him. Maybe he really is dying.

 

“Der?” Laura asks, her voice sounds tinny and far away “What’s wrong?”

 

Derek tries to tell them that he’s alright; that the pain is gone, replaced with a strange nothingness but all that comes out is a deep groan. The lack of feeling is quickly replaced, when his eyes start to burn again.  Derek squeezes his eyes shut in pain, feeling a brief flare of fire surge through his body. His skin feels as if it’s being pulled taut, bones shifting crude and horrible. Derek writhes in pain, roaring loudly before passing out completely.

 

 

* * *

 

 

When Derek wakes up, it’s to the smell of bleach and death.

 

Everything around him is white. White walls, machines, sheets, clothes. It’s unnerving. Derek blinks the sleep from his eyes, complete consciousness returning to him slowly. As he becomes more aware of the room around him, he realizes that he’s in a hospital. His eyes sweep the room and he quickly notices a large vase of flowers sitting on a table next to his bed. They release a pleasant smell that helps diffuse the awful antiseptic scent that most hospitals have.

 

Early morning light streams through the window, suffusing the room in a warm glow, the sun just peeking over the horizon with the promise of the day ahead. Derek wonders just how long he’s been out.

 

Derek remembers passing out after Scott had left. He remembers that. What he doesn’t remember is being taken to the emergency room. He knows that his body had taken major damage. He even hazily remembers bleeding out and on the brink of death, his body having failed him.

 

The memories of pain cross Derek’s mind and he instantly grabs the infirmary blanket, pulling it down past his hips, delicately grabbing his hospital shirt and pulling it up to see the severity of the damage. He’d felt like he was dying, bleeding out on the loft floor, but in the haze of pain and shock, before blackness had overtaken him, he’d definitely felt his body healing, painfully so. Perhaps his body hadn’t failed him after all.

  
  


Derek’s eyebrows knit together as he takes in his undamaged chest. He lifts his hands to his face, gingerly moves his jaw and feels his eyebrows crease even further at the discovery of a full range of motion without even a twinge of pain. It doesn't look like he was hurt at all even though he knows there were long, deep gashes encompassing his abdomen and his jaw had definitely been dislocated if not broken.

 

What the hell is going on?

 

Derek is just yanking himself out of bed when a petit looking nurse walks in, singing quietly to herself. She looks rather young, scribbling something down on her clipboard. After a few seconds she finally looks up, ceasing her humming. Her eyes go wide and she smiles slightly, a faint blush on her cheeks, perhaps at getting caught singing or maybe because Derek still has his shirt rucked up. He pushes it down quickly at the same time she perks up.

 

“Mr. Hale,” the nurse says politely. “I’m so glad to see you’re finally awake!”

 

“Yeah,” Derek grunts. “I don’t- why am I here?”

 

She may look young but she pushes Derek back into bed like a professional mother hen, tucking the blanket back over his legs. She doesn’t say anything for a while, deftly taking Derek’s temperature and fretting over him.

 

“You seem fine,” She says. “Your family brought you in yesterday. It seems you had quite the rumble and passed out.”

 

“My family?” Derek questions.

 

“Of course,” The nurse says, penciling something onto her clipboard. “Alpha Hale and her daughters. Your boyfriend is here, too. He brought you those wonderful flowers.”

 

God, _nooooo_. His mother is here. And so is Stiles. They’re probably in the same room. Together.

 

Derek can’t imagine the absolute torture that Stiles is going through, being subjected to Laura, Cora, and his mother. He’s probably made a run for it by now. If he’s sane, anyway. At least he left some flowers that Derek may or may not cherish forever since he probably won’t see the kid again. His heartbeat goes into overdrive and the nurse’s eyes go comically wide. Any chance he had of dating Stiles has presumably evaporated thanks to his insane family. No person would willingly subject themselves to the full force of Hale family craziness, he understands. He completely understands, but it’s so unfair, why couldn't he have a blissfully boring family? Derek doesn’t even notice that he’s stopped breathing.

 

“Whoa,” the nurse says, removing the stethoscope from over his heart. “You’re fine! Just breath.”

 

“I’m fine!” Derek inhales shakily, voice cracking embarrassingly. He’s glad it’s only the nurse there to hear him. “My mom is here? How long have I been out?”

 

“Just about a day,” She answers. “She’s your emergency contact, though, so she was immediately called. Stay here, alright? I’m going to get Doctor Deaton.”

 

Deaton? For as long as he can remember Dr. Deaton has always been their family’s primary physician. He feels slightly better knowing that he’s in good care.

 

“It’s too early for this,” She murmurs to herself, bustling out of the room with a sort of grace that only comes from dealing with delusional patients all the time. “ A hyperventilating alpha. That’s a new one.”

 

Hyperventilating alpha? What? Is his mom out there having a panic attack because Derek is a scrub and passed out after his first fight? Literally everything bad is happening right now.

 

Derek runs a hand over his face and through his hair. Shaking some life into his limp and greasy hair, he feels a bit tired, but other than that he just wants to go home, shower, and have things go back to normal. The thought of laying down in his cool sheets, fresh from the shower, snuggling up with Kitty (and maybe Stiles) and watching tv sounds amazing right now.

 

It doesn’t take long for Deaton to push through the doors with his mom hot on his heels. She’s wearing her ‘alpha’ face and he’d be rather intimidated if she wasn’t actually his mom.

 

“Derek,” Deaton monotones. “I have to say, I never expected to see you in here for fighting. Laura? Yes, but definitely not you.”

 

“I’ll take that as a compliment?” Derek murmurs.

 

“Derek Lee Hale,” His mom hisses, coming over to the side of the hospital bed. “What the hell? Fighting?”

 

He feels like he’s in middle school or something, being scolded for a playground scuffle. She can’t be that mad, right? It’s not like he’s hurt or anything. These things happen, he wants to say, but he values his life too much.

 

“Mom,” Derek starts. “It’s… complicated.”

 

“Is it?” She retorts quickly, “It’s ‘complicated’? Derek, do you know how worried I was when the hospital called me at three this morning? That my only son was in the ER?”

 

“Mom,” Derek says guiltily, hating the frown on her face. He grabs her hand and twines their fingers. The guilt in his chest intensifies when she squeezes his hand like he might disappear.

 

“I’m serious, Derek,” She says. Next to her, Deaton watches the scene with polite disinterest. “I don’t want this happening again, or I’ll murder you myself.”

 

“You probably shouldn’t say that when there’s a witness,” Derek jokes. It earns him the smile he was angling for and knows he’s been forgiven.

 

“Oh, please,” She snorts. “Deaton is on my payroll. He’d probably help me hide your body.”

 

“I don’t doubt that,” Derek admits at Deaton’s chuckle. “But I know you’d never hurt your favorite child.”

 

“You were my favorite until last night,” She says while scraping his hair out of his face. It always amazed him how she could go from serious to joking and right back in a matter of seconds. “I was seriously freaking out.”

 

“I’m sorry, mom” Derek says to her before turning his attention to Deaton. “Why exactly am I here, anyway?”

 

“Laura said you’d got into a scuffle with an alpha,” Deaton sighs, eyes scanning over his face and torso. “When you got in you looked fine, aside from some cuts and bruises, but that’s not really an issue.”

 

“Then what is the issue?” Derek huffs. “I feel fine, and I’m totally healed already.”

 

“Don’t interrupt,” His mom scolds offhandedly, listening raptly.

 

“The issue is that you are, in fact, healed already,” Deaton continues. “You should still be healing, if the wounds were from an alpha. Laura also said that before you passed out, your eyes went red.”

 

“What?” Both him and his mom say in tandem.

 

“That… that isn’t possible,” Derek scoffs. “Laura was probably seeing things. It was pretty intense.”

 

“I understand your skepticism, so I ran some tests,” Deaton says, sighing deeply. “It’s been a long time since I’ve said this, but it would seem you’re a true alpha.”

 

Derek doesn’t know what to say to this. Silence envelops the room, the sound of breathing and the beeping of machines the only audible noise around them.

 

“I don’t understand,” His mom finally says, a smile tugging at her lips. “How?”

 

“A true alpha?” Derek questions. “What’s a true alpha?”

 

“Oh, Derek,” His mom sighs. Are those tears in her eyes? “You’re a true alpha. That’s amazing… I’ve never thought it could actually happen.”

 

“I.. thanks?” Derek says unsure of what else to say.

 

“I’m still your alpha, though,” She sniffs. “So don’t think you run anything.”

 

“I’m a bit lost, here,” Derek says to Deaton, his mom wiping at her eyes.

 

“Exceptional character and strong will, that’s how a true alpha is formed,” Deaton explains. “You stood up to protect Stiles, who couldn't protect himself. That’s pretty exceptional, if you ask me.”

 

“I don’t feel any different.” Derek states. “Will I have to worry about shifting unexpectedly?”

 

“You’ll be the same Derek we all know,” Deaton tells him, his beeper goes off and he turns to leave. “Just stronger and faster, sharper reflexes; all you’ll need is some training and you’ll be fine. I have other patients to check on, but I’ll be in touch.”

 

“Can we leave, soon?” His mom asks before he makes it out the door.

 

“Of course, Alpha Hale,” Deaton smiles. “Just sign out in the front.” He says before making a swift exit.

 

“God, I’m so proud of you, Der,” His mom adds. “He’s been here all night, you know? Stiles. Worrying over you, with his big bambi eyes. He’s adorable.”

 

“You’re embarrassing me,” Derek grits out, then, “Is he still here?”

 

“He left around an hour ago,” She admits. “He said he had to go to work.”

 

“You didn’t bother him, did you?” Derek asks skeptically. “You can be really nosey sometimes and I don’t even think you realize it.”

 

“You wound me,” She answers. “I was the perfect mom, alright? We just talked a bit. He told me what happened.”

 

“Everything?”

 

“I’m not sure,” She says. “Told me how you guys met on the subway, which is just picture perfect, by the way. He told me about that jerk ex of his. He also told me how much you helped him out. Does that about cover it?”

 

“Yeah,” Derek sighs. “That’s pretty much it, short and sweet.”

 

“Derek, he really likes you, y’know?” She says. “And I’m pretty sure you like him, too.”

 

“I do.”

 

“He left you those nice flowers,” She says. “Very sweet kid. Told me his dad is Sheriff Stilinski! Small world, huh?”

 

“Yeah,” Derek agrees a bit overwhelmed “Will we be able to go home soon? I’m pretty tired and I’d prefer to sleep in my own bed.”

 

“That sounds like a good idea,” His mom intones. “Everyone’s been fairly worried. Seeing your mug would put them at ease.”

  
  


It doesn’t take Derek long to change out of his hospital clothes and back into some freshly washed ones that his mom had thought to bring along. Derek makes sure to grab his flowers, his mom smirking at him all the while. He ignores her. The sun from earlier has disappeared completely once they make it out to the car, the weather having quickly turned bleak and gloomy, the smell of rain is palpable.

 

Derek doesn’t know what to think. Apparently he is an alpha now. He doesn't feel much different and he hopes that that’s a good thing. He doesn’t know what this means in regards to his family dynamics, being that his mom is an alpha, or how the rest of the pack, along with the surrounding packs, will react to the Hale pack having two alphas. A wave of sleepiness washes over him as more thoughts of his new title as true alpha come to the forefront of his mind. He thinks of all the duties he may have to take on now.

 

“You’re thinking too loud,” His mom says, breaking him out of his reverie. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing,” Derek says. “Is me being an alpha going to change anything?”

 

“Honestly,” His mom sighs. “I’m not sure. Your sisters and cousins will feel more inclined to listen to you, though.”

 

“That sounds amazing,” Derek yawns, reclining the seat to get comfortable. Rain begins to pelt against the car, the sound relaxing him significantly. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to pass out for a while when we get home.”

 

“Go ahead,” she says. “You probably need it after all your body has been through in the last 24 hours.”

 

“Crazy, huh?” Derek says. “My first fight, my first hospital trip, and my transformation into an alpha.”

 

Around them the scenery turns familiar, although blurred slightly by the rain, and before he knows it they’re pulling up outside of their family home. His mom pulls into the garage and parks. She shuts off the engine before giving him a serious look.

 

“You also acquired a nice boyfriend.” His mom adds. “Stiles is a really sweet kid, Der.”

 

“Isn’t he?” Derek hums sleepily, thinking of the boy in question. “He isn’t my boyfriend, though.”

 

“Not yet,” She chirps, yanking the vase out of his grip before rushing out. “If you don't ask him soon then I will.”

 

“Gross, mom,” Derek groans, slamming the car door behind him. “You’re married.”

 

“I don’t think your dad would mind,” She jokes.

 

Derek groans even louder, making her chuckle.

 

“You know I’m kidding.” She pulls him in for a quick hug before planting a kiss on his cheek. “You go upstairs and get some rest, tomorrow we’ll tell the family what's going on.”

 

“Sounds like a plan,” Derek agrees, already dreaming of his bed waiting for him upstairs. “See you in the morning”

 

“Sleep well,” She yells up at him. “Sweet dreams.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Derek yawns again. “Don’t let my flowers die.”

 

“I’d never.”

 

He gets upstairs and absolutely face plants into the mattress. The sheets are cool and it’s dark, perfect sleeping conditions. Derek burrows under the covers and gets comfortable. It doesn’t take long for his breathing to slow down and his thoughts to start to evaporate into nothingness. All the events of the last few days are moved in favor of good memories, having Stiles and Lydia over for games. Finding Kitty. Hanging out with Stiles. Kissing Stiles. Waking up to the warmth of Stiles body wrapped around his.

 

Before he even knows it, Derek is fast asleep, an overwhelming sense of peace washing over him. He sleeps well that night.

 

* * *

 

  
  


Derek checks his reflection in the window once more, making sure his hair is just this side of nonchalantly tousled while still looking put together. He’s debating on whether his shirt looks too dressy before taking a deep breath and accepting that he looks alright.

 

He pushes through the doors of Howl, the coffee shop Stiles works at. He still thinks the name is kind of dumb and when he walks in the place is fairly empty, only one table occupied. It’s almost past eight o’clock on a Sunday, so he’s not entirely surprised. He was hoping it would be a bit more crowded, but there’s no backing out now.

 

The only occupants are a couple; a guy with flaming pink hair and tattoos crawling up his neck and down his ivory arms. Sitting right across from him is a caramel skinned girl with thick, black glasses and even blacker, curled hair. They couldn't be more different in appearance, but he leans into her space and whispers something that makes her laugh loud and bright; they smile at each other adoringly and Derek feels a bit jealous. It’s insane how much he yearns for the same thing.

 

When he makes his way to the counter he’s greeted by a pretty, pale skinned girl with rich chocolate hair falling down her shoulders in waves. She smiles at him, revealing deep dimples that force him to smile back. He swears dimples will be the death of him. The girl sort of reminds him of Stiles and her name tag reads Allison.

 

“Hi there, what can I get for you?” Allison asks, flashing him a megawatt smile.

 

“Uh,” Derek clears his throat, his stomach is a bundle of nerves. “Is Stiles here today?”

 

Her eyes immediately narrow, her face turning from soft and angelic to scrutinizing. She cocks her head to the side and gives Derek a good once over.

 

### “You’re not Scott are you?” She bites out. “Because if you are I won’t hesitate to kick your ass. I have a black belt in judo and a concealed carry permit.”

 

“No,” Derek barks out, more than a little intimidated. “I’m Derek. I was just -”

 

“Derek?” She speaks over him, smirking. “I’ve heard about you. A lot, actually.”

 

Derek doesn’t know what to say, so he stands there with his mouth open.

 

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” He finally says.

 

“Annoying, but good,” She replies. “Are you going to ask him out? Because you totally should.”

 

“I … I want to.” Derek finds himself saying. “I really like him. I just don’t want to come on too strong. I don’t want to be that guy that barges in right after he’s been through something… like he’s been through”

 

“I get you. Just do something low-key with him,” Allison smiles, her cherubic aura coming back. “Make him dinner, play some video games. He loves that kind of stuff.”

 

“Yeah?” Derek questions. “I hope you’re not just getting my hopes up here.”

 

“I hope I’m not either,” Allison admits softly, then. “Stiles! You have a suitor out here!”

 

Derek blushes hard, squinting at the girl. When did girls get so evil? His sisters, Lydia, and now Allison? Girls aren’t a force to be reckoned with, he’s come to understand. They’re sly and diabolic and pretty.

 

Derek unconsciously presses out the invisible wrinkles in his shirt and straightens up. He tries not to glare when Allison giggles behind her hand.

 

Stile appears from around the counter, his eyes meeting Derek’s immediately. It’s only been about two weeks since he got into the fight with Scott but him and Stiles haven’t spoken much since then. They’ve both been fairly busy, with Derek trying to handle his change in status and Stiles getting his life back together; they’ve had a few short, stilted conversations about getting together. That’s what led Derek here, in the first place.  After being taunted by his entire family, he’s decided to take some initiative and finally ask Stiles out on a date.

 

“Hey,” Derek greets.

 

“Hey, Der,” Stiles smiles.

 

His face looks a lot better than it did. The swelling is entirely gone, the only flaw on Stiles’ otherwise perfect skin being the shadow of bruises. Within another week or so he should look completely normal. They smile at each other like idiots before Allison pointedly clears her throat.

 

“I’m going to go check inventory,” She grins. “You’re good up here, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Stiles says. “I’ll yell if I need anything.”

 

Allison gracefully makes her exit, but not before sending Derek a glare, mouthing out ‘I’m watching you.’ behind Stiles’ back.

 

“She’s nice,” Derek comments dryly. “She really cares about you, too.”

 

“Oh, God,” Stiles blushes. “Did Allison threaten you or something? I bet she did. She’s like the big sister I never knew I didn’t want.”

 

“It’s alright,” Derek chuckles. “Now you know what it’s like to have a sister. It doesn’t get any better.”

 

Stiles laughs, bright and happy. It pulls at Derek’s insides.

 

“I believe you,” Stiles says, smile dimming. “How are you?”

 

“I feel like I should be asking you that,” Derek says. “How are your jobs? Are you still working at ‘Prowl’?”

 

“God, no,” Stiles sighs. “I quit as soon as I could. I only worked there because… Scott wanted me to.”

 

The name alone brings a heavy tension into the room. They haven’t really spoken about anything that happened that night or about Stiles’ relationship with the other alpha.

 

“Have you spoken to him? Since that night?” Derek asks. He feels like he’s overstepping but it’s too late to take it back now.

 

Stiles takes a deep breath, “No, but… he somehow found out my new number and has been texting me nonstop. Left me some voicemails, too, but I don’t listen to them. I don’t think I’ll be able to deal with Scott for a while. Things were so bad and I… I just need to disconnect from him for a while.”

 

“That sounds reasonable,” Derek agrees. “You are okay, right?”

 

“I’m getting there,” Stiles admits. “Things are getting better, one day at a time. What about you? And Kitty?”

 

“Everything is fine. It’s a bit weird being an alpha now but I’m getting the hang of it. As for Kitty, I’m fairly sure she misses you. She won’t let me wash that shirt I let you borrow without hissing at me, but other than that everything is relatively normal.”

 

“That’s good, about the alpha thing. Not about… you know, the shirt. I miss that little furball.” Stiles murmurs, blushing slightly. “So, uh, can I get you anything? Or did you come just for my amazing conversational skills?”

 

Derek’s nerves return but he tries not to let it show.

 

“Actually, I came to see if you wanted to hang out or something?” Derek blurts. “It doesn’t have to be anything big, I mean... we could just watch movies at my place or something.”

 

“Derek,” Stiles says, running a hand through his hair nervously. “I like you. I really like you-”

 

“I like you, too,” Derek bites out.

 

“It’s just that, well, Scott and I were together for almost two years and I don’t want to jump into anything with you after that.”

 

“Oh,” Derek deflates, disappointment coloring his mood. Stiles doesn’t want to be in a relationship, especially with him “I understand. You need time to yourself.”

 

“Yes. No. Fuck.” Stiles huffs out an almost angry breath. “Derek, I know this is super unfair of me to ask, but if you’d be willing to wait-”

 

“Stiles,” Derek interrupts. “I’d be very willing to wait until you’re ready.”

 

“I realize that, but- wait, you would?” Stiles fires off. “You’d really do that?”

 

“I think you underestimate how much I like you,” Derek admits. “You also underestimate how quickly my family would disown me if I’d let you get away.”

 

Stiles laughs at that, a beautiful blush spreading up his neck and up to his cheeks. He smells pleased and surprised and Derek finds his own mood lifting, from upset to hopeful.

 

Stiles looks ready to speak again, his eyes dazzling beautifully, but he’s interrupted by Allison, shouting from the back room along with a loud crash of glass breaking.

 

“I’m fine!”

 

Stiles rolls his eyes, sighing like he hears things break everyday. He actually might, the way he pouts resignedly.

 

“I should probably get back there unless I want her to break anything else.”

 

“I’m guessing that happens frequently?” Derek hazards with a chuckle.

 

“More than I’d like,” Stiles smiles. “For all her angelic grace, she can be a real klutz sometimes.”

 

There’s another crash and Stiles winces.

 

“Alright, I’m leaving,” Derek says. “Go back there and save some dishware.”

 

Stiles steps into Derek’s space and gives him a tight hug, and Derek holds him just as tight, subtly inhaling the sweet scent of Stiles; fresh coffee beans and joy and hope.

 

“I’ll text you later,” Stiles says as he finally steps away.

 

“Sounds good,” Derek says in goodbye. Stiles disappears into the back and Derek heads back out.

 

He finds himself smiling. He’s happy to wait until Stiles is ready to enter another relationship. He knows that when the time comes, it will have been completely worth it.

 

* * *

 

 

Derek and Stiles see each other on and off again for the next two months, chatting in person whenever they can. When they do hang out, they’re usually joined by Lydia and Laura, they play games that tend to lead to small fights of gender domination.. More so than not they text each other. All the time. It’s nice.

 

Other times Derek goes to the coffee shop since Stiles has to work so much. Stiles told him he’s been saving up to get his own apartment. Derek had offered to help him out, but he had been politely turned down. It isn’t all that bad, Stiles had told him; it actually felt freeing, being able to do things for himself. After Stiles had told him that, Derek had dropped the issue altogether. Instead focusing on getting to know Stiles even better. Allison joins in on their conversations, creating a stress-free presence that made their meet-ups feel more friendly than romantic.

 

It’s early one Tuesday when Derek walks into the coffee shop again. It’s a packed house today, every obscure piece of furniture occupied by someone.

 

He walks up to the counter, intent on buying something so that he has the excuse of giving a tip; it’s divided among the baristas, but being that it’s only Stiles and Allison he’s alright with it. He knows it’s cheating a bit because Stiles explicitly said that he didn’t want Derek’s money, but it’s the only way for him to give Stiles anything. It may not be much, but it makes Derek feel better that he can help, as miniscule as it is.

 

“Well, if it isn’t our own Gold Star Member, Derek Hale!” Allison cheers when she sees him approaching. A few people around the register turn and clap, one guy even whistles and Derek can’t help but smirk, taking a sarcastic bow once the clapping ceases.

 

“You’re getting too sarcastic for your own good.” Derek comments dryly. “What happened to that sweet girl I met two months ago?”

 

“Oh, Derek,” Allison coos. “I was never sweet. You were just foolish enough to make that assumption.”

 

“I think you’re right,” Derek hums, eyes scanning the menu for something to please his sweet tooth.

 

He’s about to tell Allison that he wants a large anything as long as it’s heaped with chocolate and caramel, but he’s interrupted by Stiles rushing out from the back. He already has a drink in his hand and when he spots Derek quickly rushes over to the other man.

 

“Hey,” Derek greets. “I was just about-”

 

He doesn’t get to finish, though, because Stiles yanks him over by his arm, pulling his towards the back. Allison watches with a small smile, waving slightly at their retreating backs.

 

“Is there a reason you’re kidnapping me?” Derek asks as they walk through the storeroom, it’s really cold back here but Stiles’ grip on his arm is a hot brand in contrast. “I didn’t even get to order my drink.”

 

“First, here,” Stiles pushes the cup in his hands into Derek’s space. “Second, you are way too old and way too big to be kidnapped, by anyone. And third, we need to talk.”

 

“Talk?” Derek questions. He feels like he’s about to be broken up with, and they’re not even dating. He says as much, causing Stiles to snort; it should be unflattering, but it’s not.

 

“Yes, I was gonna talk to Allison about it, but then I thought, ‘ _Hey, I should totally talk to Derek about this, because, duh, it’s Derek. And also because you’ve helped me through all this stuff and you’d know what to say_.’ and so here we are.”

 

Derek tries to comprehend half of what Stiles just said, taking a small sip of the drink Stiles gave him. The sweetness explodes on his tongue, hints of mocha and chocolate and he grunts approvingly. He inhales about one third of it before he feels the beginning of a brain freeze.

 

“That good, huh?” Stiles frowns. “Did you hear anything I said or did I completely lose you?”

 

“I caught some of it,” Derek admits. “You must be nervous, if you’re rambling this much.”

 

“Yeah,” Stiles says, deflating slightly. “I, uh- I got a letter from Scott. I wanted you to be here when I opened it.”

 

“Why?” Derek asks, a tad confused. He’d think Stiles would want to deal with this alone. It’s been awhile since they’ve talked about the entire ‘Scott Situation’, but whenever they do, it brings a strange sort of tension between them.

 

“I don’t know,” Stiles murmurs. He finally looks up, meeting Derek’s stare. “I just- I want you here. I feel better reading it with someone I trust completely.”

 

Derek inhales sharply at Stiles admission.

 

“I’m glad,” Derek finally says. He notices Stiles shaking palms and decides that they should get this over with. “Do you wanna do this, then?”

 

“Yeah,” Stiles says, gaze falling to Derek’s lips. “We can go read it in the Jeep. It’s too crowded in the shop.”

 

“Jeep?” Derek asks, a bit surprised. “You got a car?”

 

“Oh yeah,” Stiles blushes slightly. “I bought it last week. It’s nothing special, but I like it. Plus, I don’t have to ride the subway, anymore, y’know?”

 

“The subway’s not so bad,” Derek smiles. “That is where I first met you.”

 

Stiles looks over at him sharply, his own smile appearing.

 

“True,” He says after a long moment. “I almost forgot about that. It seems like you just appeared in my life one day.”

 

“It does, doesn’t it?” Derek says following Stiles lead through the parking lot. They stop at a light blue, slightly beat up Jeep. It’s definitely used, but not in a bad way. It has a sort of character. “It’s very you.”

 

“That’s what my dad said when I sent him a pic,” Stiles laughs.

 

Stiles unlocks the door and grabs a paper from the console, he sits in the driver's seat with Derk standing at the door, waiting for Stiles to read the paper. The younger boy’s eyes roam the paper quickly, and he takes a shaky breath, looking to Derek after a moment.

 

“ _Hey, Stiles._

 _It’s Scott. I decided to write you this letter for a lot of reasons. The main one being that you won’t take any of my calls or messages and the second reason being that I care for you too much to leave things the way they are between us. I fucked up beyond recognition and I know that. I treated you in a way no one should ever be treated, especially not my best friend who was there whenever I needed and did whatever he could to help me be better, even when I didn’t deserve that help. You loved me when I didn’t deserve it and I was an idiot to let you go. I know that you probably hate me, and I don’t expect you to ever forgive me, but I just need you to know that I do still love you, regardless of everything. You were there for me through every hardship I went through. You were my anchor, who kept me from drifting away when things got too crazy, (Remember the kanima?) and I will always love you for that. You’ve been my best friend since we were three and I sincerely hope that we could start talking again, if that’s something you’d be interesting in_.”

 

Stiles laughs, eyes watering dangerously. Derek rubs his hand reassuringly up and down Stiles arm.

 

“ _I moved out of NYC a few days after I got my ass handed to by your friend (?) and moved back to Beacon Hills. I don’t think I was cut out for the sort of chaotic lifestyle that suited you so well. On another note, I was at the hospital the other day and I met a nice girl. Her name is Kira. She works with Mom and she may or may not be a hunter. She has a kitana and it’s awesome and I wish I could show you. Her entire family is pretty kickass (though not as much as the sheriff). Being back home has really helped calm me down and helped me see the error of my ways, as corny as it sounds. I really hope you can visit whenever you’re ready (with your boyfriend? Derek?). In summary, I am extremely sorry for all the hurt I put you through, Stiles, because you’re probably the most caring person I've ever met.  I was your alpha and your friend and I should have made sure you were always taken care of and the fact that I didn’t upsets me and I really don’t expect you to forgive me ever but I had to write this so I could make sure you knew how sorry I really am. I don’t expect you to forgive me because I can’t ever forgive myself. I hurt the one person I should have protected the most and I can never forgive myself for that. I can only hope that one day we can try and put this behind us and attempt to become friends again._

 _Yours forever, Scott McCall_.”

 

The tears that were threatening to fall over are now freely spilling down Stiles cheeks. He sniffles slightly and puts the letter down. Derek doesn’t know what to do, but whenever Laura or Cora cry, he knows all they want is to let the tears out and be comforted, and so Derek does that for Stiles. He opens his arms for a hug and Stiles is immediately in his space, clinging to Derek like a limpet. He shakes slightly, small sobs escaping, his face tucked into Derek’s neck. His nails dig crescent moons into Derek’s skin, but he doesn’t care. Derek clings back just as tight, running his nails lightly across Stiles’ scalp.

 

“Are you alright?” Derek almost whispers, afraid to break the moment.

 

“Yeah,” Stiles sighs, sounding older than he ever has. He pulls away, wiping at his eyes. “I’m good. That was… good. I think I needed that. I feel good.”

 

“I’m glad.” Derek says. It’s probably the lamest thing he could say, but it’s true. When Stiles smiles at him, there’s a promise of something more, something that wasn’t there before. Derek finds himself smiling back, the glimmer in Stiles’ eye igniting a spark in his chest. “You deserve to be happy.”

 

* * *

 

 

Derek gets a text from Stiles about a week later, late one afternoon.

 

He and Cora are skipping out early on work because they work hard, dammit, and they deserve the downtime. They get into the Camaro and quickly head out of the parking garage and out into the chaos of the city. She’s telling him about this french guy she’s met and how he’s the best  when his phone chirps, Stiles’ name flashing across the screen.

 

Derek opens up the text quickly, glad for the interruption from his little sister.

 

It reads: ‘ _Hey, Der! Are you free anytime soon?_ ’

 

His response as soon as he’s done reading it, ‘ _I’m free till Sunday. Why?_ ’

 

He sends it, and waits giddily for the reply. Next to him, Cora is still talking. He wonders, a bit worried, how she does it; yeah, she’s part wolf, but even they need oxygen after a while. He thinks about telling her that she should take a deep breath, but he'd rather not get punched in the gut.

 

His phone begins to ring, breaking Cora’s monologue. She sends him an annoyed glance at having been disrupted but he doesn't care much, especially when he notices it’s Stiles calling.

 

“Answer it,” Cora sighs. “Lord knows you need a boyfriend.”

 

“Says the pot to the kettle,” Derek smirks, narrowly avoiding her incoming blow. He catches her vicious grin and laughs, finally accepting the call.

 

“Hey,” Derek answers. “How are you?”

 

“Hi there,” Stiles says quickly, almost out of breath, and Derek swears he can picture the smile on his face. “I’m great, what are you doing right now?”

 

“Well,” Derek says, hyperaware of Cora’s eavesdropping. “I just got off work, why?”

 

“Are you almost home?” Stiles asks, completely ignoring Derek’s question. “Are you alone?”

 

“Okay, what’s going on?” Derek asks, dumbfounded by the bombardment of questions. “Did you get a job with the CIA or something? Are you interrogating me?”

 

“That’s classified information,” Stiles says, causing Derek to bark out a laugh. “But seriously, I was, uh, wondering if you’d want to go on a date… with me.”

 

“Is that a question?” Derek asks, heart pounding in his chest. “Cause it didn’t sound like one, but…”

 

“You’re actually insufferable,” Stiles huffs. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to take you on an amazing date anymore.”

 

“Amazing?” Derek questions.

 

“Yeah, totally life changing” Stiles quips. “But I guess you’ll never know, huh?”

 

“Let’s not be hasty, yeah?” Derek jokes. “I’ve never been on an amazing date before. Horrible? Definitely, average, sure; but this may be my only chance at having an amazing date.”

 

“He isn’t lying!” Cora yells, shrugging when he sends her a scathing glare. “Forgive his stupidity!”

 

“Is that Cora or Laura?” Stiles laughs, sounding way too pleased.

 

“Cora!” Cora answers, causing Derek to roll his eyes. Sisters are such a pain.

 

“Alright, then,” Stiles says. “I guess I’ll take pity on you, Derek, and give you the amazing date you’ve never had.”

 

“Thank the gods,” Derek sighs. “When is this date?”

 

“Um, now?” Stiles says. “Or an hour from now?”

 

“Seriously?” Derek asks, eyebrows creeping towards his hairline.

 

“Yes?” Stiles says. “To be fair, I texted and you said you weren't busy. Please, Derek! This date practically threw itself together.”

 

“I’m not objecting,” Derek amends. “Just surprised.”

 

“And pleased?” Stiles tempts.

 

“I’ll tell you after the date,” Derek says.

 

“Great!” Stiles cheers. “I’ll see you in an hour? At the park by your house.”

 

“Alright,” Derek agrees, hissing when Cora pinches his side, grinning happily. “Should I bring anything?”

 

“Just yourself,” Stiles chirps. “I’ve got to go, see you later!”

 

“Yeah,” Derek agrees. “Later.”

 

The phone is disconnected and Derek blows out a sigh. He just got asked out. By Stiles. He’s feeling anxious and excited and a bit surprised, because he definitely didn't expect Stiles to ask him out, but here he is. He smiles.

 

“Ugh,” Cora huffs. “You two are disgustingly cute together.”

 

“Don’t hate,” Derek blurts, making Cora chuckle. “Also, you think you could drive faster? I have a date in a hour and I’d rather not be wearing a suit.”

 

Cora rolls her eyes but pushes the car into overdrive anyway.

 

* * *

 

Derek gets to the park quicker than he expected to, thanks to Cora’s illegal driving. He dressed down into some comfortable jeans and a grey button down. Cora had smiled approvingly before she had dropped him off at the entrance of the park.

 

It doesn’t take him long to spot Stiles, the smell of fresh coffee grinds give him away. He’s set up a small blanket underneath one of the larger trees. There are only a few people around, giving the park a more serene aura. Stiles looks nice, sporting an outfit similar to Derek’s, and he smiles brightly when he sees Derek walking up.

 

“Derek,” Stiles waves excitedly. “Hey!”

 

“Hey,” Derek replies, allowing Stiles to steer him over to the picnic setup. “This is nice.”

 

It is nice. Stiles picked the perfect spot, the large tree blocking out the blaring sunlight, the slight breeze that comes around every now and then feels blissful. Stiles bends down to open up a satchel that looks ready to spillover.

 

“Oh,” Stiles laughs a bit nervously, cheeks pinking up. “You haven’t even seen the best part.” Stiles grabs the bottom of the bag and dumps the entire contents onto the blanket. More candy than Derek has ever seen in his life comes spilling out; Snickers, Skittles, gummy worms, Hersey’s Bars... the works.

 

“Did you rob a convenience store for our first date?” Derek asks a bit flabbergasted. “I’m not sure how I feel about your criminal lifestyle.”

  
  


Stiles laughs, pleased, head thrown back and full bodied. An unexpected rush of want flashes through him and Derek wishes he could get Stiles to laugh like that more often.

 

“I’m not a criminal,” Stiles finally gets out. “Some girls were selling it for their softball team. They were so cute and a bit scary so me and Allison said what the hell, and bought their entire inventory.”

  
  


“I can see that,” Derek says sitting down, ripping open a Reese’s Cup. He’s going to have to workout really  well after this, but it’s worth it. “You two are insane.”

 

“That’s why you like me,” Stiles smiles, joining Derek on the blanket, taking a cup. “And, that is what makes this date so freaking amazing. It’s like dessert before dinner.”

 

“You have a point,” Derek says, then. “Dinner?”

 

“Yeah, this is a multiple part date,” Stiles murmurs. “If you want to, anyway.”

 

“Of course I want to,” Derek scoffs. “But only if I get to pay.”

 

“Sure,” Stiles says. “Those girls charged me an arm and a leg for all this candy, so we’re going to eat it all. We might not even have room for real food.”

 

“In that case,” Derek adds. “Then I’m going to be paying next week when I take you to the movies.”

 

“Wow” Stiles chuckles, popping open a bag of gummy worms. “Already planning our second date? Who says I want a second date?”

 

“Are you saying you don’t?” Derek teases.

 

“Of course I want a second date,” Stiles says.

 

“Good.” Derek smiles.

 

“Good.” Stiles says, squinting at Derek. They slowly devour their way thtough way too much sugar, making small talk and joking around before Stiles asks, “Are we dating, then?”

 

“I.. yes?” Derek says after a pause. “I hope so.”

 

“Alright,” Stiles grins slightly. “That’s good.”

 

His smile grows, his eyes crinkling around the edges. Derek barely catches the glint of mischief in his brown eyes before a gummy worm comes flying right at his face, hitting him right between the eyes. Stiles cackles delightedly, Derek has to bite his cheek to keep from smiling along with him.

 

“Nevermind,” Derek deadpans. “I’m taking all this candy and leaving.”

 

“How rude!” Stiles gasps in mock horror. He then proceeds to throw an entire handful of sugary worms at him. They pelt him everywhere, Derek can’t help his smile after that, he also can’t help the small gummy worm war that ensues. They go back and forth, tossing fallen candy at each other, laughing like children. Derek hasn’t had such carefree, silly fun like this since he was young and it’s a shame. This date definitely did turn out amazing. Stiles seems so much brighter, happier compared to the first few times Derek saw him. He’s gorgeous.

 

They settle down after a few minutes, with both of them panting slightly. A small group of teenagers walk by and notices the absolute plethora of candy, looking at it with something close to awe. Stiles decides to give them half of the pile, being the saint he is. They give their thanks, smiling brightly as they leave, talking excitedly. At least they didn’t have to eat all of it. Derek doesn’t think he could handle that many cavities.

 

“That was nice,” Derek comments once they’re long gone.

 

“Yeah,” Stiles says, tossing a piece of chocolate in his mouth. He misses and frowns, causing Derek to laugh. “I don’t think we could have handled that much sugar.”

 

“Bet I can catch it,” Derek smirks.

 

“Alright,” Stiles says, a tad haughty. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”

 

Stiles tosses them up in the air purposely horrible, but Derek still catches them all. He eyes Derek suspiciously with every toss, muttering ‘cheater’ under his breath. It only makes Derek try harder to get every piece of chocolate. Stiles finally tosses one so off that it hits a nearby jogger. Stiles barks out a laugh and the lady turns to give them a dirty glare before running away.

 

“Sorry!” Stiles shouts, completely unapologetic. Derek sighs, hoping they don’t get kicked out of the park altogether.

 

All Derek can think, as Stiles’ body shakes with muted laughter, is “ _This is going to be an interesting relationship_.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also really want to thank everyone who commented and supported this work. When I posted the first part (IN 2013?!?) I NEVER EVER EVER expected it to get so much love. I appreciate it so much and couldn't have asked to be apart of a more amazing, supportive, and kickass community! Go Ao3!!
> 
> If you see any mistakes, then you are a champ for finding it and I take credit for them.


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